A research team led by Shenzhen University says eight newly studied Martian caves that appear to have been cracked open by volcanic drama were also likely sculpted by ancient water. If there was water, maybe there was also life? That’s the theory, at least.

Their study, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, focuses on Hebrus Valles, a region of arid, rough Martian valleys that’s riddled with sinkholes. On Earth, sinkholes often appear when water dissolves soft rock like limestone, hollowing out caverns until the surface collapses in on itself. Mars, being Mars, usually forms sinkholes through volcanic activity instead. But these Hebrus Valles holes look a little…watery. Like the kind of sinkholes carved by water here on Earth.

The scientists pulled mineralogical data from NASA’

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