New Evidence About Earth’s Neighbor – Mars – Suggests It May Be Far From Dead!
This conclusion comes from a remarkable new study published in the scientific journal Nature Communications.
“Understanding that Mars’s crust is still active is crucial for our knowledge of how Mars has developed as a planet. It may help us answer fundamental questions about the Solar System; the state of Mars’s core, its crust; and the development of its currently missing magnetic field…” explained geophysicist Hrvoje Tkalčić from the Australian National University.
The surface of the Cerberus Fossae region of Mars captured by Mars Express – (Photo: ESA)
The absence of a magnetic field on Mars suggests that it is not a geologically active planet. This could be a significant issue in distinguishing between a “living” planet and a “dead” planet.
Earth’s complex and continuous activity, from its core to its crust, has endowed it with a strong magnetic field, protecting us and countless species from cosmic impacts, allowing life to thrive and evolve.
However, since NASA’s InSight lander touched down on Mars in November 2018, it has consistently uncovered evidence indicating that Mars is currently “rumbling.”
This includes a series of mysterious seismic events. A system of fractures created by faults in the Cerberus Fossae region has led to the appearance of 47 seemingly newly formed swamps.
In the Cerberus Fossae region, substantial geological evidence indicates volcanic activity has occurred within the last 10 million years. Thus, it is likely that the planet is only temporarily “hibernating” during a historical phase. It is awakening alongside the resurgence of geological activities, accompanied, of course, by the potential for habitability and the emergence of life.
Previous studies have also shown a strong likelihood that Mars once supported life and was a vibrant planet with many oceans, similar to Earth, before becoming barren and extinct 2-3 billion years ago.
These findings suggest that Mars is not dead but may be experiencing a mechanism that prevents the establishment of a magnetic field. Researchers are still searching for this mechanism.
“Understanding Mars’s magnetic field, how it has developed and been disrupted throughout the planet’s history is obviously crucial for future missions, especially as scientists hope to one day establish a human base on Mars,” Dr. Tkalčić told Science Alert.
