Bright Spots On Ceres Aren't Signs of Alien Civilizations Studies Say

"The mysterious bright spots glowed from Ceres' dark surface like alien headlights, capturing many Earthlings' imaginations. But researchers say they're the result of mineral salts, citing data captured by NASA's Dawn mission to study the dwarf planet."

"While the findings will likely dampen speculation over the spots, they also portray Ceres as a complex planet — one that may be holding a reserve of ice."

"The spots on Ceres, the largest object in an asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, caused a stir in February, after the Dawn spacecraft sent home an image that showed two very bright spots inside a large crater on Ceres, where the surface is otherwise so dark it's often compared to fresh asphalt."

"Dispelling theorists' notions of an alien city tucked away in our solar system, researchers say in a study published by the journal Nature, 'These unusual areas are consistent with hydrated magnesium sulfates mixed with dark background material, although other compositions are possible.'"