NASA has just released a new image of an ice mountain on the dwarf planet Ceres that “is like nothing that humanity has ever seen before.” For those who don’t know, Ceres is also the largest known asteroid, with a diameter approaching 600 miles and contains the largest mountain on the largest known asteroid in the solar system, Ahuna Mons, which rises more than 13,000 feet. “The new hypothesis, based on numerous gravity measurements, holds that a bubble of mud rose from deep within the dwarf planet and pushed through the icy surface at a weak point rich in reflective salt — and then froze,” said in a statement. Read more for another video and additional information.
“Since its discovery, scientists have speculated on the possibility that Ceres may be able to support life. An analysis published in 2018 based on data from the Dawn spacecraft suggests previously-identified patches of organic material on the surface may contain much higher abundance of carbon-based compounds than initially estimated. While it doesn’t mean life exists on the dwarf planet, the discovery adds new clues to the question of Ceres’ potential habitability,” reports Daily Mail.
