Scientists have discovered a reservoir of liquid water on Mars - deep in the rocky outer crust of the planet.

The findings come from a new analysis of data from Nasa’s Mars Insight Lander, which touched down on the planet back in 2018.

The lander carried a seismometer, which recorded four years’ of vibrations - Mars quakes - from deep inside the Red Planet.

Analysing those quakes - and exactly how the planet moves - revealed “seismic signals” of liquid water.

  • Pennomi
    link
    fedilink
    English
    103 months ago

    Would a deeper hole be easier to create on Mars due to the lower planetary mass? I would assume so.

    • themeatbridge
      link
      fedilink
      English
      303 months ago

      Yeah, but the drill bit would need to be 140 million miles long just to reach Mars.

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        English
        43 months ago

        Nah just a 10 mile long pole, strong enough to break through planetary geological plates in a straight on blow, thrown really really really fast from earth.

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          English
          23 months ago

          If you don’t care how long it takes to get there and can effectively use the ITN you don’t even need to leave going that fast.

          • @[email protected]
            link
            fedilink
            English
            23 months ago

            Side thought, all I can think of now is developing the technology to accelerate the rotation of some of these ITN “slingshot” planets to speeds where they become giant versions of those hotwheels motorized launcher tracks.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      63 months ago

      IIRC the problem was the ambient temp that deep being too hot causing mechanical failures. It’s hard to dispose of waste heat when you have to pump it miles away.

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        English
        33 months ago

        You could probably drill much deeper into Mars before encountering that issue, though, since its molten rock is significantly deeper than Earth’s.