Deep beneath Mars, scientists find a vast hidden magma system
Researchers at the University of Oxford have discovered evidence of ancient, Earth-like magmatic systems deep beneath the Martian surface. Using seismic data from NASA's InSight mission, the study suggests Mars may have developed complex crustal structures without the need for plate tectonics.
Why it matters
This discovery challenges long-held assumptions about Martian geology and provides new insights into how rocky planets evolve and potentially support habitability.
Researchers at the University of Oxford have found evidence that Mars may once have contained enormous Earth-like magmatic systems deep below its surface, even though the planet does not have the plate tectonics that scientists have long associated with this level of geological complexity. The findings, published in Nature Astronomy , point to new possibilities for how rocky planets can evolve in ways that may support habitability.
Mars is commonly classified as a "stagnant lid" planet because, unlike Earth, its outer shell is not divided into moving tectonic plates. On Earth, plate tectonics plays a major role in volcanism, recycling crustal material and helping build continents. Because Mars lacks this process, scientists have often assumed that its crust formed in a much simpler way.
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