'Buried life zone?': NASA's InSight may have found Mars’ best chance for habitability
Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Seismic Clues
InSight’s sensors detected seismic wave shifts at depths of 10–20 km—potential signs of something unexpected beneath Mars’ crust.
Crack Signals
Waves moved strangely through the subsurface, leading scientists to propose not empty cracks—but water-filled fractures.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/IRAP
Liquid Hints
S-waves don’t pass through liquids. The disrupted wave paths hint at the presence of stable, subsurface Martian water.
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Wet Rock Test
Lab simulations using diabase, a Mars-like rock, showed seismic signatures nearly identical to the data from the Red Planet.
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Buried Oasis
Unlike surface brines or polar ice, this potential water lies deeper—protected from radiation and temperature extremes.
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Life Below
“If liquid water exists, microbial life may too,” says Katayama—reviving the search for life in Mars’ shadowed interior.
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Ancient Echoes
Mars once had rivers and lakes. This new finding suggests those waters didn’t all disappear—they might have just moved underground.
Credit: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin
Hidden Habitat
Earth’s deep biosphere hosts microbes in similar conditions. Mars could hide the same, miles below its desolate surface.
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Next Drill
This research reshapes future Mars missions—moving the goal from surface rovers to deep drills and subsurface sensors.