Craters, dunes, slopes, streaks, gullies, and the largest canyon in the solar system. These are just a few of the many interesting features we’re uncovering on the neighboring planet Mars, all exposed, on account of the lack of vegetation and liquid water to cover them up, to our curious mechanical eye that circles the planet high above in orbit.
Hundreds of years from now, humans might possibly get accustomed to the quirkiness of that little alien planet called Mars. That’s because, by then, we would have hopefully colonized the place, making it into a second home for our species.
I don’t know if it’s because Mars is such an alien place, or because it is inherently weird, but there’s at least one fact you can always be sure of when it comes to the neighboring planet: its surface does present shapes and patterns you’ll find nowhere in the solar system.
A quick, uninformed look at the image we have here might leave one with the impression they’re looking at an overhead view of some spectacular shoreline here on Earth, a picture shot in black and white for some aesthetic reason. That couldn’t be further from the truth.
Mining is one of the most important human activities. Thanks to it, our cars can move, our houses are warm, and diamonds are a thing. Mining is also slowly killing the planet, and it will soon do so elsewhere as well.