Early Mars may have been more tectonically and volcanically active than previously thought. Evidence of tectonic activity around 4 billion years ago was provided by 63 new examples of various volcanoes found in a strange region of Mars with odd properties that set it apart from the rest of the Martian highlands.
A team of planetary scientists found that the landscape of the Eridania region of Mars, located in the planet's southern hemisphere, appears to have been shaped in response to changes occurring within Mars' crust, not from forces originating from above or below it. The discovery could influence the hunt for signs of ancient life on the Red Planet, currently conducted by NASA's Curiosity and Perseverance rovers.
