As the Curiosity rover brings a new era of exploration, it's a good time to look back at some of the amazing Mars discoveries we've already made.

We're not just talking about run-of-the-mill debunking (like the fact that there probably aren't any aliens waiting to attack our unsuspecting rover — probably, anyway). Mars holds a fascinating ecosystem brimming with mystery.

1. Ice Caps on Mars Are Melting

The Martian ice caps are receding enough that scientists have been able to detect new mountains and other terrain emerging from the surface of the red planet. Thankfully, Martian ice caps grow back due to the delicate balancing act in the atmosphere of the planet.

2. Life Could be Really Hot

Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the solar system, could be a hot spot for life — literally. The volcano was active as recently as 40 million years ago, if not even later, and there might still be hot rocks there that could support bacteria. These hot rocks would be deep underground, so we don't know for sure if bacterial life on the planet is a possibility, but many scientists think it is.

3. Water Once Flowed on Mars

We know this thanks to the Curiosity rover's predecessors, Spirit and Opportunity. While other satellites and missions have detected evidence of water, it was these little rovers that discovered essentially incontrovertible proof that the red planet runs blue, too.

4. Mars Itself Might be Wet on the Inside

Scientists believe that Mars might hold vast quantities of water inside the planet, where some places might be as saturated as they are here on Earth. It's going to be pretty hard to prove, but researchers are hoping for the opportunity.

5. Meteorites Hit Mars, Too

The Martian rover Opportunity discovered the largest meteorite known to hit the red planet. Because the meteorite is large and relatively intact, scientists have been able to deduce that Mars once had a thick atmosphere, which slowed the meteorite down upon entry. A thick atmosphere is believed to be another key component of a planet that could support life.

6. Fossils on a Mars Meteorite?

About 4 billion years ago, a meteorite slammed into the surface of Mars, sending debris flying out of the planet's early atmosphere. Allan Hills 84001, a rock that crash-landed on Earth, is believed to be a by-product of that impact. Upon examination of the rock with an electron microscope, scientists discovered in 1996 that there were tiny fossils of microscopic life forms present. They believe these fossils are from Mars, not only because the rock is clearly from Mars but because the size of the cellular life forms found are smaller than any known life on Earth.

7. Mars Has Avalanches

Think avalanches on Earth-bound snowcapped mountains are big? Martian avalanches have been captured by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which is roaming high up above the red planet. These huge avalanches happened at the edge of the Martian ice caps and spanned about 580 feet, kicking up massive dust clouds in the process.

8. Mars Isn't a Dead Planet

In 2009, NASA discovered that Mars produces methane, which means the planet is home to some biological or geological process that is producing the gas. Scientists don't know what it is — another question they hope to answer one day.

More Discoveries on the Horizon

These discoveries have all happened in the past two decades, and it's hard to imagine what the next few years will bring thanks to the cutting-edge electronics aboard Curiosity. Keep an eye on our coverage, and don't forget to go outside and look up at the Red Planet once in a while yourself.

This article originally published at Tecca here