Overview

• The 'spiders' are dark spots formed by carbon dioxide gas erupting through ice in Mars' southern polar region.
• These formations occur each Martian spring as sunlight warms layers of carbon dioxide ice.
• The phenomenon, unique to Mars, has been documented by multiple missions including ESA's ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter and NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
• Inca City, where these formations are found, is characterized by geometric ridges, possibly formed from ancient sand dunes or magma.
• The process does not resemble any geological activity on Earth, highlighting Mars' unique environmental dynamics.