Fly Through a Huge Volcanic Cave With These Stunning 3-D Scans

W. Brent Garry sets up his laser scanner to complete the first 3-D map of Indian Tunnel, a lava tube in Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho. When humans at last reach the surface of Mars, one of the first things they may need to do is dive beneath it. That's why a team of NASA researchers gathered in August at Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho: The intrepid explorers created the first complete three-dimensional scan of Indian Tunnel, one of the largest and most accessible lava tubes at the monument. Researchers are mapping lava tubes at the Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho in hopes that their findings might help the explorers use lava tubes on the red planet for shelter. Their work not only helps us better understand our planet's geologic past, but it will also allow scientists to learn more about potential subterranean living on other worlds.