Readings Show Evidence of Huge Ocean Under Mars' Surface

Researchers have found new evidence for a massive subsurface ocean on Mars, again raising the possibility of microbial life lurking deep below the Martian surface. As detailed in a paper in the journal Geology, Research Institute for Marine Geodynamics scientist Yuya Akamatsu and Hiroshima University associate professor Ikuo Katayama examined data collected by NASA's InSight Mars lander, which touched down on the Red Planet in 2018. "Many studies suggest the presence of water on ancient Mars billions of years ago," said Katayama in a statement, "but our model indicates the presence of liquid water on present-day Mars." The InSight lander's Seismic Experiment for the Interior Structure (SEIS) instrument observed seismic waves generated by Marsquakes and meteorite impacts to create a map of the planet's interior. P-waves and S-waves, in particular, can allow scientists to determine the type of rocks lurking below, as well as potential composition changes. According to InSight's data ... Read full article.