This volcanic cone in the Nili Patera caldera on Mars has hydrothermal mineral deposits on the southern flanks and nearby terrains, hinting that it may be the most recent habitable hotspot on Mars. Two of the largest deposits are marked by arrows. The discovery suggests that the vents once served as tiny habitable pockets on Mars where primitive forms of life on Mars, if any ever existed, could have found refuge. To date, however, no definitive proof that Mars has ever supported any form of life has been found. "When you have water and heat, as you have at this site, you have the opportunity for habitability — a place where conditions for life, if it was there, could have been supported," study co-author John Mustard told space.com
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