Mars' Hidden Heart: What Lies Beneath the Red Planet?

Recent findings from NASA's InSight mission reveal that Mars has a core similar to Earth's, with a solid center surrounded by a liquid outer layer. This discovery, published in Nature, helps us understand how Mars evolved over billions of years.

A Changing Planet

Long ago, Mars might have had a thicker atmosphere, allowing liquid water to flow on its surface. This atmosphere could have been protected by a magnetic field, much like Earth's. However, Mars lacks such a field today, leading scientists to wonder if its loss caused the planet to lose its atmosphere and become the cold, dry desert it is now.

The Core's Role

Earth's core has a solid center and a liquid outer layer, which creates a dynamo that generates our planet's magnetic field. This field shields Earth from solar particles, preventing atmospheric loss and maintaining habitable conditions. Mars once had a magnetic field too, but it disappeared, and scientists believe this might be due to its core cooling and stopping its movement.

Evidence of a Habitable Past

Evidence of liquid water on Mars' surface suggests that the planet was once more hospitable. Features like dry lake beds and valley networks carved by rivers support this idea. However, Mars' thin atmosphere today holds little water, leaving scientists puzzled about what happened.

New Discoveries

The InSight lander's seismometers first identified Mars' core and determined it was liquid. Now, new results from Huixing Bi and colleagues suggest there's also a solid layer inside the liquid core. This discovery raises questions about Mars' past and its potential to support life.

Implications for Planetary Science

Understanding Mars' interior structure is crucial for comprehending how planets form and evolve. Before InSight, models similar to Earth's were not favored for Mars. The latest findings challenge our previous assumptions and open new avenues for exploration.