2024-08-22 06:00:13
Beneath the surface of Mars, a recent discovery could revolutionize our understanding of the red planet: geophysicists have revealed a huge reservoir of water hidden miles beneath the Martian crust. This discovery, made thanks to data seismic of thelander Insight of the NASAraises questions about the possibility of a extraterrestrial life.
This reservoir, trapped in a layer of fractured rock between 11.5 and 20 kilometers below the surface, contains enough water to cover Mars with a layer more than a kilometerYet accessing this water remains a colossal difficulty, even for the most advanced land-based technologies.
Researchers believe that this reservoir could harbor conditions conducive to life. Indeed, on Earth, life forms have been discovered in extreme environments, such as deep mines or the ocean floor. This Martian underground water could therefore potentially harbor life forms, although nothing has yet been found.
Mars has evidence of ancient river systems and lakes, suggesting that it was once rich in water. However, around 3.5 billion years ago, a climate change caused the planet to dry out. The reasons for this rapid transformation remain unclear, but several hypotheses are being explored, including the loss of magnetic field from Mars or the impact of a asteroid.
To better understand this phenomenon, scientists used mathematical models to map the planet’s interior. The results show that Mars’ water did not evaporate into space, but was absorbed by the Martian crust, forming these underground oceans.
Although this discovery opens new perspectives for the search for life on Mars, accessing this hidden ocean remains beyond the reach of humanity’s current technical capabilities. Nevertheless, the quest continues with other Martian missions, such as that of the Perseverance rover.
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