Turns out there is water on Mars, after all. NASA said after studying data from its InSight lander’s seismometer, taken from 2018 to 2022, geophysicists discovered a water reservoir deep below the surface covering the entire planet.
Researchers said the water is held within rocks in the middle of Mars’ crust and estimate it to be enough water to fill oceans on the planet’s surface. Those oceans could cover the whole planet in a layer at least a mile deep. Researchers also said the water potentially offers favorable conditions to sustain microbial life, either in the past or now.
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While this new discovery helps figure out what happened to the water supply on Mars after its oceans disappeared more than 3 billion years ago, the water so far down, it would not be of much use to anyone trying to tap into it to supply a potential future colony. Scientists said the water sits about 7 to 13 miles below the surface and drilling that deep would be a challenge, even here on Earth.
TURNS OUT – THERE IS WATER ON MARS, AFTER ALL.
NASA SAYS AFTER STUDYING DATA FROM ITS INSIGHT LANDER’S SEISMOMETER – TAKEN FROM 20-18 TO 20-22 – GEO-PHYSICISTS DISCOVERED A WATER RESERVOIR DEEP BELOW THE SURFACE – COVERING THE *ENTIRE* PLANET.
THEY SAY THE WATER IS HELD WITHIN ROCKS IN THE MIDDLE OF MARS’ CRUST… AND ESTIMATE IT TO BE ENOUGH WATER TO FILL *OCEANS* ON THE PLANET’S SURFACE – COVERING THE WHOLE PLANET AT LEAST A MILE DEEP.
RESEARCHERS SAID THE WATER POTENTIALLY OFFERS CONDITIONS FAVORABLE TO SUSTAIN MICROBIAL LIFE – EITHER IN THE PAST OR NOW.
WHILE THIS NEW DISCOVERY HELPS US FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE WATER SUPPLY ON MARS AFTER ITS OCEANS DISAPPEARED MORE THAN 3 BILLION YEARS AGO… IT’S SO FAR DOWN, IT WON’T BE OF MUCH USE TO ANYONE TRYING TO TAP INTO IT TO SUPPLY A POTENTIAL FUTURE COLONY.
SCIENTISTS SAY IT SITS ABOUT 7 TO 13 MILES BELOW THE SURFACE… AND DRILLING THAT DEEP WOULD BE A CHALLENGE EVEN HERE ON EARTH.
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