A newly-formed Tongan island which could hold evidence of life on Mars, initially thought to last only a few months, is now expected to be around for 30 years, NASA says.
Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha'apai is one of Earth's newest landforms - and it could tell scientists where to look for signs of life, according to the BBC.
Scientists are now watching the erosion of the volcanic island very carefully, as they say they can see remnants of similar water-birthed islands on Mars.
The researchers on Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha'apai could potentially help them to better understand the water environment on the Red Planet, as well as if the conditions might have been suitable for life.
Chief scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Dr Jim Garvin told the BBC: "We're going to use [the island] on Earth to train us to understand Mars".
"The thought was that we might be able to use recognition of these kinds of landforms to be an indication of palaeowater stories, depths and longevities on the Red Planet."
The island of Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha'apai grew out of the Hunga volcano, a 1.3 kilometre-high mountain almost completely submerged in the southwest of the Pacific Ocean, in 2015.
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