NASA unearths massive 328-foot-wide hole on Mars, says could 'contain alien life'

A massive hole has been unearthed on Mars that NASA scientists believe could be a "portal" leading to an underground world of alien life. Images of the mysterious 328-foot-wide hole opening on the Martial landscape was shared by the American space agency a couple of days back.

According to NASA the hole could be a leading point to an extensive network of underground tunnel harbouring alien life as they would be perfect to protect living beings from the harsh conditions on the Red Planet. The environment on Mars is extremely hostile compared to that on earth. The extreme temperatures and surface level radiation can easily harm human life.

The photo of the hole - surrounded by a circular crater - taken by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter in 2017 is described by NASA as  "dusty, dark, Martian terrain beneath evaporating, light, carbon dioxide ice."

"There are numerous holes pictured in this Swiss cheese-like landscape, with all-but-one of them showing a dusty, dark, Martian terrain beneath evaporating, light, carbon dioxide ice.

"The most unusual hole is on the upper right, spans about 100 meters, and seems to punch through to a lower level," said NASA.

While the cause of the hole is not clear, scientists say it was created by a meteor impact due to the circular crater surrounding it.

"Holes such as this are of particular interest because they might be portals to lower levels that extend into expansive underground caves.

"If so, these naturally occurring tunnels are relatively protected from the harsh surface of Mars, making them relatively good candidates to contain Martian life.

"These pits are therefore also prime targets for possible future spacecraft, robots, and even human interplanetary explorers," the scientists further explained.

While now the environment on Mars is extremely hostile,  scientists believe the red planet was Earth-like billions of years ago and therefore life could have existed here.