Discovery of gigantic underground reservoir of water on Mars leaves scientists stunned

For years, scientists have been studying planetary bodies in space, with a particular focus on Mars after the moon. Researchers have been exploring the Red Planet to uncover any potential opportunities for humanity. While most studies have shown Mars to be rocky, with high levels of oxygen, and generally uninhabitable, recent research offers a glimmer of hope. According to My Modern Met, earlier findings of ice deposits on Mars sparked interest in the possibility of water. Now, researchers believe there could be water beneath the planet's surface.

The discovery of potential water traces on Mars has sparked curiosity about its implications. Historically, scientists believed that any water once present on the planet's surface may have evaporated, leaving Mars as a barren, dry landscape. This led to questions about where the water went. Some scientists speculated it may have dissipated into space, while others theorized it could be hidden underground. According to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, water might also be stored as ice or trapped within minerals.

NASA’s Insight Lander, which explored Mars from 2018 to 2022, provided valuable data that researchers are still analyzing today. These efforts revealed the presence of water beneath the planet's surface, located between 7 and 12 miles deep within the rocky crust. This water is likely what once existed on the surface and has since collected underground. Remarkably, the volume of water found is estimated to be enough to create a Martian ocean over a mile deep.

Scientists reveal that this finding probes the idea that much of the water from the surface is not lost to the atmosphere but may be hidden in the depths of the planet. It is already a win that water from around 3 billion years ago is still prevalent deep inside the crust of the planet and has vast potential. Scientists Vashan Wright, Matthias Morzfeld, and Michael Manga wrote in their report, “Our results have implications for understanding Mars’ water cycle, determining the fates of past surface water, searching for past or extant life, and assessing in situ resource utilization for future missions.”

There is more research to be done to understand the properties of the water and more about where and how it managed to remain. Researchers have yet to figure out how the water’s permeability and other factors are, to understand its accessibility. However, it gives hope to study about the past from 3 billion years ago, the present and future life on the planet. Moreover, for researchers, it is a big step in the Martian study with exciting and hopeful adventures to explore.