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New images captured by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter reveal frozen, cowpea-shaped dunes on Mars, covered in carbon dioxide and potentially linked to clues about microbial life in the planet's past.
In September 2022, NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) captured a stunning image of frozen sand dunes in the northern hemisphere of Mars. The most intriguing thing about them? They're shaped like black-eyed peas! These intriguing formations, photographed by the High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera, were recently released to the public and could hold crucial clues about the possibility of life on the planet.
Why are these dunes so different?
While dunes on Earth are always shifting with the action of the wind, Martian dunes remain virtually static. This is because they are covered in a layer of frozen carbon dioxide during the winter. On Mars, temperatures can drop to -123°C at night, creating ideal conditions for snow and frost. But don't expect fluffy flakes like those on Earth! Martian snow is made up of water ice and dry ice (frozen carbon dioxide).
Martian frost and its secrets
This combination of ice prevents wind from shifting the dunes, keeping them intact until spring. Observing how carbon dioxide ice behaves helps scientists better understand the past climate of Mars. Could these conditions have supported life in the past?
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Mars and the search for life
The idea of life on Mars is not new. In October 2024, NASA suggested that microbes could survive beneath the frozen water on the Martian surface. That’s because sunlight penetrating the ice may be enough to allow photosynthesis in small pools of meltwater. A Harvard study found that Mars’ magnetic field may have lasted as long as 3,9 billion years ago, creating an environment conducive to life.
What comes next?
These pea-shaped dunes are more than just geological curiosities. They could be the key to unlocking the mysteries of the climate and the possible existence of life on Mars. With new missions and studies, we are getting closer to answering the question that has intrigued us for decades: Was there ever life on Mars?
