Kids discover a hole in Mars

Interesting research performed by middle school students has apparently found an ancient skylight into a lava tube on one of Mars' volcanoes. It appears to be in-line with a row of collapse pits.

Middle school project discovers a cave skylight on Mars




















The volcano is Pavonis Mons, the middle volcano of the three big Tharsis Ridge volcanoes.

High resolution, large image of Olympus Mons and the Tharsis Ridge volcanoes


Here's Pavonis Mons itself:





If the volcanoes still had remnant hydrothermal activity underground, a lava tube cave might be a place with the right ingredients to harbor life surviving from the wetter and warmer period in the Martian climate history. Unlikely, but a better place to survive than on the arid surface exposed to sunlight and ultraviolet rays.