In an Incredible First, Scientists Have Discovered What's at The Core of Mars

25 April 2023
By MICHELLE STARR



Artist's impression of the internal structure of Mars. (IPGP/David Ducros)

Quakes rumbling through Mars have been detected rolling through its gooey core for the first time, giving scientists the tools they need to figure out what, exactly, Mars' heart is made of.

According to seismic data obtained using NASA's InSight lander, which monitored the red planet's innards for four years, Mars' center is a liquid iron alloy, with surprisingly large amounts of sulfur and oxygen mixed in.

It's information that can help scientists better understand Mars' history, and why it is different from Earth – one planet an arid, lifeless dustball, the other lush and teeming.

"In 1906, scientists first discovered the Earth's core by observing how seismic waves from earthquakes were affected by traveling through it," says geologist Vedran Lekic of the University of Maryland.

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https://www.sciencealert.com/in-an-incredible-first-scientists-have-discovered-whats-at-the-core-of-mars