after the formation of the planets, all experienced the "late heavy bombardment". about 60% of the surface of mars shows a record of impacts from that era. much of the remaining surface is probably lying over the immense impact basins caused by those events. there is evidence of an enormous impact basin in the northern hemisphere of mars, spanning , or roughly four times larger than the largest impact basin previously known. this suggests that mars was struck by a pluto-sized body about four billion years ago. the event is thought to be the cause of the difference between the martian hemispheres. it made the smooth borealis basin that covers 40% of the planet.