A peculiar 'smiley face'-shaped salt deposit on Mars has piqued the curiosity of scientists, who suspect it might hold answers to one of the Red Planet's most enduring mysteries: the remnants of its last surviving life forms. Billions of years ago, Mars was home to vast lakes and rivers, which disappeared during a catastrophic global freeze. Now, researchers believe this unusual salt deposit, resembling a familiar emoticon, could be harbouring resilient microbes.

Discovery by ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter

The European Space Agency's ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, a Martian satellite dedicated to searching for signs of life, captured images of these chloride salt deposits. These formations, beyond their intriguing shapes, are expected to offer critical insights into Mars' ancient climate, geology, and potential habitability.

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The Significance of Chloride Deposits

In a recent post, the ESA highlighted the potential of these deposits: "Why so serious? Once a world of rivers, lakes, and possibly oceans, Mars now unveils its secrets through the chloride salt deposits discovered by our ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter. These deposits, remnants of ancient water bodies, could point to habitable zones from billions of years ago." The discovery of nearly a thousand such sites could provide valuable clues about the planet's climate history and the possibility of past life.

The post further elaborates on how Mars entered a cold era when it lost its magnetic field, leading to the dissipation of its atmosphere. This process caused water on the planet to evaporate, freeze, or become trapped within the surface, leaving behind mineral fingerprints. According to Valentin Bickel, a planetary scientist at the University of Bern in Switzerland, very salty waters could have served as refuges for life, with high salt concentrations keeping water liquid at temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius.

Public Reaction and Future Exploration

Since its release, the ESA's post has garnered significant attention, accumulating over 11,000 likes and numerous comments. Reactions varied from admiration—"That's so beautiful"—to humour—"Why so cheesy." Some users speculated about future theories based on the shape, while others suggested including scale references for better understanding the size of these craters.

As scientists continue to investigate these fascinating formations, there is hope that they may eventually reveal more about Mars' past, potentially even uncovering traces of ancient life on the Red Planet.