Mars may not be volcanically dormant after all: Hydrogen chloride discovery raises questions about underground magma and possible life

Scientists have detected hydrogen chloride gas in the Martian atmosphere above fissures near Alba Mons, raising fresh questions about whether Mars still has geological activity beneath its surface. Published in Science Advances on November 4, 2026, the findings are based on observations from the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter. Researchers suggest underground volcanic processes could release gases through surface fractures and potentially create hydrothermal environments, offering new locations to investigate the possibility of microbial life.