NASA Recreates Mars' Mysterious 'Spiders' in Lab

Scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory have successfully simulated the formation of araneiform terrain, providing insights into these unique Martian features.

• NASA researchers have recreated spider-like formations found on Mars, known as araneiform terrain, in a lab setting.
• The formations, which can span over half a mile and have numerous branches, were first observed on Mars in 2003.
• Using the Dirty Under-vacuum Simulation Testbed for Icy Environments (DUSTIE), scientists mimicked Martian conditions with extremely low temperatures and air pressure.
• The experiments confirmed that these features form when sunlight heats the soil beneath carbon dioxide ice, causing the ice to sublimate and release gas that cracks the surface.
• Unexpected findings included ice forming between soil grains, which could explain the more 'cracked' appearance of the spider shapes.

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