Recent research suggests there may be liquid water hidden beneath the surface of Mars, which could be a sign of life. Scientists have detected “seismic discontinuities” in the Martian crust. This finding raises exciting possibilities about microbial life existing on the Red Planet.
Mars has a history similar to Earth, and its proximity makes it a key focus for astrobiology. The idea that liquid water might be lurking under the dry surface fuels the hope that microbes could survive there, even in harsh conditions.
According to Ikuo Katayama, a planetary scientist at Hiroshima University and co-author of the study, the existence of liquid water could suggest active microbial life in Mars’s crust. This possibility excites researchers who are eager to learn more about our neighboring planet.
NASA’s rovers, landers, and orbiters are continually gathering data to explore Mars’s secrets. The Perseverance rover has been busy examining Jezero Crater, an ancient lakebed. It has collected fascinating Martian rocks that might be brought back to Earth for further study through the Mars Sample Return program.
InSight, which landed on Mars in November 2018, had a different mission. Its job was to dig into the Martian soil and listen for seismic activity. Before it was shut down in December 2022, InSight recorded over 1,300 marsquakes and sent nearly 7,000 images of the surface back to Earth.
Some of InSight’s seismic findings revealed layers about 6.2 miles and 12.4 miles beneath the surface, indicating changes in the rock’s density. However, researchers believe these changes could indicate cracks filled with water, not just dry rock. They compared how seismic waves travel through different rock types in Sweden, discovering that dry, wet, and frozen rocks react differently.
This research implies that Mars might still have liquid water today, not just in the distant past. Katayama emphasized, “Many studies suggest water was on ancient Mars billions of years ago, but our model shows liquid water might exist now.”
Unfortunately, InSight’s digging tool struggled to penetrate the Martian surface, limiting our understanding of the planet’s inner workings. If NASA successfully retrieves samples from Perseverance, it could offer invaluable insights into whether life ever thrived on Mars. Given the new findings, it might be wise for NASA to consider more powerful tools for exploration on the Red Planet.
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Exploration of Mars,InSight,seismology,Water on Mars
