Shalbatana Vallis

The Mars Express orbiter has captured images of 'chaos and craters' carved by ancient floods on Mars. The images show a bird's-eye view of Shalbatana Vallis, a large channel near the Red Planet's equator. The orbiter provides valuable insights into Mars' geological history.

Mars may have had an ocean in the past, with a colossal valley near its equator revealing clues about its watery and volcanic history. The valley, Shalbatana Vallis, was carved by enormous floods of groundwater billions of years ago. This discovery hints at a Mars that may once have been warmer and wetter than it is now.