Salty glaciers found at Mercury's North Pole trigger possibility of life

[Collection]Planetary scientists have discovered salty glaciers in the Raditladi and Eminescu craters near the north pole of Mercury. These glaciers are composed of salt flows that contain volatile compounds. The exposure of these salt formations resulted from asteroid impacts, providing insights into Mercury's geological history. The salt deposits on Mercury have similarities to salty environments on Earth, raising questions about the potential habitability of subsurface areas. The discovery also offers an explanation for craters with missing chunks, suggesting that impacts exposed and evaporated volatiles. Further investigations are needed to understand the origin of these volatile layers.