Hundreds of black 'spiders' spotted in mysterious 'Inca City' on Mars in new satellite photos
by Live Science
Live Science— Every spring, creepy black 'spiders' sprout up on Mars as buried carbon dioxide ice releases dusty geysers of gas. New ESA images show the phenomenon has begun in the strange Inca City formation.
PetaPixel—Satellite Photo Shows an Army of 'Black Spiders' on Mars. A photo taken by the European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter has set the internet alight after it apparently shows large clusters of black spiders crawling on the surface of the Red Planet's southern polar region. [Read More]
Yahoo—Satellite spots spider-like formations on Mars. The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced that the 'spiders' spotted by the agency’s Mars orbiter are actually geological features. When sunlight mixes with carbon dioxide, it triggers the release of gases that fracture ice, allowing dust to reach the surface and form spider-like figures. According to scientists, these figures are not small and measure anywhere from around 50 yards to over half a mile wide.
Mashable—New vivid images show why this is dubbed Mars' 'Inca City'. Scientists still don't quite understand what natural phenomenon caused this grid-like pattern to form at Mars' south pole.