The Most Bizarre And Eye-Opening Images From Mars

These “spiders” on Mars aren’t actually as terrifying as they appear

Do you know what we don’t need to find on Mars? Spiders. They terrify enough people on this planet, so the thought of them being present on another isn’t pleasant. If we ever did end up moving to Mars, the last thing we’d want is more spiders scaring the life out of us. Thankfully, that’s not what this picture shows.

What NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter actually photographed in May 2018 was araneiform terrain. This is the result of carbon dioxide below the surface of the planet heating up and being released, with darker dust consequently deposited around the opening. It’s a seasonal process that’s not seen on Earth, with this picture snapped during winter at Mar’s south pole.