The Kieffer model, the researchers concluded, was an accurate representation of the processes that produce, not just the spiders, but other seasonal features that appear on the surface of Mars. In future research, the team hopes to fine-tune and adapt their experiments to understand these features and their formation in greater detail.

A new algorithm tested on NASA's Perseverance Rover on Mars may lead to better forecasting of hurricanes, wildfires, and other extreme weather events that impact millions globally.

A team of scientists at NASA have confirmed how Mars' 'spider' formations are carved by carbon dioxide. They were first discovered in 2003 and each formation can stretch more than half-a-mile from end-to-end.