Researchers have reportedly discovered massive amounts of water hidden deep beneath the surface of Mars. Using data from NASA’s now-concluded InSight mission, scientists have found evidence of a gigantic water reservoir located deep within the Martian crust. They estimate that enough water is trapped in tiny cracks and pores within the rock to form an ocean on the planet’s surface. This groundwater is believed to be distributed across the entire planet, according to a study published in the journal PNAS.
However, accessing this water will be challenging for future astronauts, as it lies between 11.5 and 20 kilometers below the surface, the study published on Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences revealed.
Atmospheric loss ended Mars’ wet era
Previous NASA missions have suggested that Mars was a warmer and wetter world billions of years ago. However, the loss of its atmosphere over 3 billion years ago brought an end to this wet period. This new discovery could help solve the mystery of Mars’ “missing” water and provide deeper insights into the planet’s climate, surface, and interior development.
Geophysicist Vashan Wright from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego, told CNN, “Understanding the water cycle on Mars is crucial for understanding the climate and the surface. A good starting point is knowing how much water is present and where it is.”
