Unveiling Mars' Hidden Molten Secrets: NASA's InSight Lander Reveals Radioactive Magma Sea

Two studies published in the journal Nature reveal that Mars's core is smaller than previously estimated, debunking earlier measurements. The discrepancy was due to the presence of a hidden 90-to-125-mile-deep ocean of molten rock, kept molten by radioactive elements, beneath Mars's solid mantle. This exotic magma ocean, which does not exist on Earth, may require a reevaluation of Mars's chaotic evolution. The discovery was made by reevaluating seismic data from the InSight lander and confirmed by a meteor impact that sent seismic waves through Mars's core. The existence of the magma ocean suggests that Mars's core is denser and iron-rich, with fewer lighter elements. This finding may necessitate a new explanation for Mars's magnetic field and its origin story.