Fairly recently, some exciting pictures returned from Mars.
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) used its High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) instrument to take a lovely photo the apparently very, very deep hole - a feature that may cause more scientists to ponder about potential subsurface biology on Mars.
So far, seven of these holes in various sizes have been found.
Now - the camera used cut off the black data since it was unexpected (they limit the number of bits they are looking at to save bandwidth?).
I look forward to a new picture with full spectral details. When I queried a friend of mine at JPL he quipped that rather than figuring out what they might need logistically to support an expidition to Mars for several years - they just sent up a Wal-Mart and were so shamed they blacked it out.
Somewhere I had seen some Mars night-time thermal imaging showing warm spots where these holes are.
How deep, especially in the heights (like these holes are) would you need to go to start increasing atmospheric pressure "a la Blue Mars".
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