Study Reveals Remnants of Giant Collisions in the Depths of Mars

Mars continues to unveil the secrets of its past, as a new scientific study has shown the presence of massive rocks lying in its mantle, which are remnants of catastrophic collisions that occurred 4.5 billion years ago.

The study, conducted by a team from Imperial College London in collaboration with American researchers, relied on data from NASA's InSight probe, which recorded over 1,300 Martian quakes during its mission (up to 2022). This data enabled scientists to create an unprecedented accurate picture of the structure of the red planet's crust, mantle, and core.

Computational modeling showed that the noticeable slowdown in seismic waves as they pass through certain areas indicates the presence of giant rocks with a diameter of about 4 kilometers, differing in composition from the surrounding rocks. They are likely remnants of magma oceans formed as a result of asteroid and protoplanet collisions with Mars in the early solar system.

Scientists confirm that such rocks would not have remained on Earth due to the tectonic plate movements that continuously remix its interior. However, on Mars, where geological activity is much slower, these "ancient witnesses" have been preserved, providing rare evidence to help understand the formation of planets.