InSight Study Shows That Mars’ Core Is Smaller Than Previously Thought

A new study published in the journal Nature suggests that the interior of Mars is very different from Earth’s. The study, which used data from NASA’s InSight lander and other spacecraft, found that Mars’ core is smaller than previously thought and that it is surrounded by a layer of molten rock.  Researchers believe this is because Mars lost most of its light elements such as silicon, carbon, oxygen and hydrogen during its formation.

Two groups of scientists, independently of each other, re-evaluated InSight’s seismic data and concluded that the core of Mars is not as large as previously thought. The initial estimate was flawed by an undetected ocean of molten rock 90 to 125 miles deep, making the underlying core appear larger than it actually is.

But the deep sea of ​​magma hidden beneath Mars’s solid mantle and supported by molten radioactive elements is exotic. “It doesn’t exist on Earth,” Dr Khan said, adding that the discovery may require a rethink of the Red Planet’s chaotic evolution.