--- title: "On Mars, a Crater on Top of a Crater on Top of a Crater" description: "The European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter just spotted something unusual on the surface of the Red Planet: a \"triplet\" crater." date: "2020-10-30" modified: "2020-10-30" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/esa-mars-express-triplet-crater" categories: - "Astronomy" - "Mars" - "Space" tags: - "ESA" - "mars" - "mars express" - "the digest" --- # On Mars, a Crater on Top of a Crater on Top of a Crater ![The European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter just spotted something unusual on the surface of the Red Planet: a "triplet" crater.]() *\Image: ESA\* ## Marzibit The European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter [just spotted]() something unusual on the surface of the Red Planet: three craters seemingly overlapping each other, kind of like two thirds of the Olympics logo. The odd triplet was spotted near Mars' ancient southern hemisphere, in an area known as Noachis Terra. Scientists believe the area was bombarded by asteroids some four billion years ago, leaving it dotted with craters. The fact that they're so old makes them particularly interesting to scientists, as studying them could reveal secrets about the history and evolution of the planet. ## Asteroid Impact The triple crater is just east of the larger, well known Le Verrier crater, which in itself is about 87 miles across. The largest of the three rings in comparison is just 28 miles across. Scientists suggest the triple crater may have been formed by an asteroid that split into three before crashing into the surface. Another, less likely explanation could be that three separate asteroids hit the surface at almost exactly the same spot. If the asteroid did split before making contact, the implications are much bigger than you may think: the atmosphere of Mars four billion years ago would have to have been much more dense than it is now to be capable of breaking such an impactor up into pieces during its descent. ## Ancient Water World That means early Mars may have been war farmer and wetter than we thought, the ESA's statement suggests, which would be in line with recent research that indicates Mars was once flush with [huge rivers](). The three craters' shallowness was likely caused by ice moving under the surface over millions of years, softening the soil and eventually smoothing out any deeper indentations. **READ MORE:** [An ancient crater triplet on Mars]() \[ESA\] **More on Mars:** *[Startup Exploring Lab-Grown Meat on Off-Planet Settlements]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()