September 4, 2025 — NASA’s InSight mission has revealed astonishing new details about the Red Planet’s interior, including the presence of a solid core and mysterious ancient structures hidden deep beneath its surface.
A Solid Core Discovery
For years, scientists believed Mars’s core was fully molten. However, seismic data collected by InSight from marsquakes and meteor impacts has shown otherwise. The findings indicate that Mars has a solid inner core surrounded by a liquid outer layer. Measuring roughly 600 kilometers in radius, the core appears to contain iron mixed with lighter elements such as oxygen. This discovery brings Mars’s internal structure closer in similarity to Earth’s than previously imagined and raises new questions about how the planet lost its magnetic field billions of years ago.
Ancient Blobs in the Mantle
In addition to the core revelation, scientists have identified unusual dense formations—described as “blobs”—within Mars’s mantle. These features, some several kilometers wide, are believed to be remnants of early planetary building blocks, or protoplanets, that collided with Mars more than four billion years ago. Preserved by the planet’s lack of tectonic activity, these remnants serve as geological fossils of the violent processes that shaped the solar system.
Implications for Planetary Science
The discoveries highlight Mars as a unique time capsule, preserving evidence of ancient cosmic events that Earth’s active geology has long erased. Understanding Mars’s solid core could provide clues about why the planet became geologically inactive and lost its protective magnetic shield, while Earth remained dynamic and habitable.
Looking Ahead
With InSight’s mission concluded, researchers will continue to analyze its data to piece together Mars’s evolution. The findings not only deepen our knowledge of the Red Planet but also offer insights into how rocky planets, including Earth, formed and evolved in the early solar system.
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