Mars offers clue to old question

Astrobiologists, the scientists searching for life beyond Earth, have a saying: "follow the water." On Earth, wherever we find water, we find life. Extending this logic to other worlds, especially Mars, has guided robotic missions looking for elusive signs of extraterrestrial biology.

- JORDAN BIMM

Last week, researchers working with data from NASA's InSight spacecraft, a stationary lander which operated on the surface of Mars from 2018 to 2022, shared a tantalizing new clue.

InSight's seismometer, which listened for "Marsquakes" to understand the interior of the planet, seems to indicate the presence of large amounts of liquid water far below the surface.

This finding is exciting because, previously, discoveries had been limited to ice and vapour. But scientists believe that roughly three billion years ago Mars had a much thicker atmosphere which was able to support rivers, lakes, oceans, and perhaps simple forms of microbial life. The water now being predicted lies very deep, 12 to 20 kilometres underground, deposits that could be home to life on Mars.

It's an idea with deeper roots than many realize.