# Active volcanoes on Mars? Noxious gas discovery says — maybe

Source: [EarthSky](https://earthsky.org/space/active-volcanoes-on-mars-hydrogen-chloride-trace-gas-orbiter/) · 2026-11-06 · Space
Page: https://themorning.science/story/active-volcanoes-on-mars-noxious-gas-discovery-says-maybe-ecc2553b5398c612
Kind: research · Impact: low

## In brief

- The European Space Agency's Trace Gas Orbiter detected the gas hydrogen chloride coming from some areas of Mars.
- The detections are near the Alba Mons volcano, where many cracks are visible in the surface.
- ScienceAlert says the gas may show Mars is still volcanically active, while EarthSky frames the finding as possible rather than established.

## Why it matters

If Mars is still volcanically active, that could have major implications for the search for life, according to ScienceAlert. EarthSky presents the finding as tentative.

## Coverage

- [A Stinky Gas Seeping From The Bowels of Mars May Reveal The Planet Is Still Volcanically Active](https://www.sciencealert.com/a-stinky-gas-seeping-from-the-bowels-of-mars-may-reveal-the-planet-is-still-volcanically-active) — ScienceAlert, 2026-11-07
- [Active volcanoes on Mars? Noxious gas discovery says — maybe](https://earthsky.org/space/active-volcanoes-on-mars-hydrogen-chloride-trace-gas-orbiter/) — EarthSky, 2026-11-06

Tags: mars, volcanism, hydrogen-chloride, trace-gas-orbiter, astrobiology

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Brief generated by AI (claude-haiku-5-5) from the reporting listed under Coverage. Headlines belong to their publishers. The Morning Science – https://themorning.science