Back in 2022, NASA released an image captured by a HiRISE (High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment) camera of a mysterious hole embedded in the Red Planet.

And it could provide an answer to the age old question as to whether aliens exist.

When it comes to habitability, Earth's mild temperature swings, magnetic radiation shield, and abundance of water makes for pretty easy living.

The same unfortunately cannot be said for neighbouring Mars. With an atmosphere only one percent as dense as Earth’s and no magnetic field, life on the Red Planet wouldn't exactly be a walk in the park.

But, there are some areas that might be a little bit friendlier than others and a hole on the slope of Arsia Mons could be one of them.

The crater-like opening, about 150 feet across, sits on the edge of the ancient volcano.

Scientists are currently unsure exactly what the hole could be or how deep it goes, but they have a pretty solid hunch that they are connected to the nearby volcano.

Speaking to Business Insider, Brandon Johnson, a geophysicist at Indiana's Purdue University, said they are likely 'skylights' to an underground labyrinth of lava tubes that formed when the lave tubes caved in.

Rather excitingly, the hole - which is one of a number of craters found on the planet's surface - could play a big part in helping future manned missions to Mars by providing astronauts with shelter from intense radiation and solar storms.

Johnson said: "There's more than one of these pits on Mars that we've seen.

"But they're really interesting because they're places where astronauts might be able to go and be safe from radiation."

And theoretically, they could have provided such shelter to an ancient alien species.

Of course, the holes' mere existence isn't enough to answer David Bowie's questions about life on Mars, but Johnson says: "This is a good place to look."

And, what these holes do is give us access to Mars beneath its surface.

There, it could be like a whole other world when it comes to accessing potential ancient organic matter.

While there is nothing in the works just yet, Johnson confirmed: "There are missions proposed to essentially have a robot go on a line and drop down into one of these skylights and be able to explore what's inside of them."

Who knows what they might find when that happens?

Featured Image Credit: NASA