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Seismic data collected by the now-defunct US InSight spacecraft suggests that Mars has deep, porous rocks filled with liquid water, a key ingredient for life as we know it. The discovery was published in the academic journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The possibility of life on Mars has been studied for several years, even though the planet is considered inhospitable.
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The data allowed scientists to estimate that The amount of groundwater can cover the entire planet at a depth of between one and two kilometers.The University of California in the United States, which participated in analyzing the data, said in a statement.
According to researchers, The amount of liquid water inside it It will be enough to fill Martian surface oceansWhich disappeared more than three billion years ago.
The volume of the water tank is located in Small cracks and pores in rocks in the middle of the crust. (the outer layer of the interior of Mars), between 11.5 and 20 kilometers below the surface, so It would be of little use to a human colony that wanted to settle on Mars.North American aerospace companies like SpaceX, owned by entrepreneur Elon Musk, also want to.
Even on Earth, drilling one kilometer deep is difficult. challengeScientists have pointed out.
Life on Mars?
However, the authors of the investigation reveal that at least one site on Mars has been identified, in theory, It will be able to sustain life (microbial).
The InSight robot, which ended its mission on Mars in 2022, was sent NASA Four years ago to study the planet's interior and atmosphere.
During the period the mission lasted, the device was discovered. Earthquakes on Mars with a magnitude of 5, Meteor impacts and “explosions” from volcanic areaswhich produced Seismic waves Which allowed geophysicists to study the interior of the planet.
Although NASA and private companies in North America intend to send manned missions to Mars in the medium to long term, the matter still remains The planet is inhospitable.
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