Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
LiveScience
LiveScience
Stephanie Pappas

Hundreds of black 'spiders' spotted in mysterious 'Inca City' on Mars in new satellite photos

Mars' Inca City formation (left) is overrun with mounds of black 'spiders' (right), a regular springtime phenomenon on the Red Planet.

Arachnophobes need not fear: A new European Space Agency (ESA) image of Martian "spiders" actually shows seasonal eruptions of carbon dioxide gas on the Red Planet.

The dark, spindly formations were spotted in a formation known as Inca City in Mars' southern polar region. Images taken by ESA's Mars Express orbiter and ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter show dark clusters of dots that appear to have teeny little legs, not unlike baby spiderlings huddling together. 

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.