Marsquakes indicate a solid core for the red planet, just like Earth

Marsquakes indicate a solid core for the red planet, just like Earth Science Sep 3, 2025 12:57 PM EDT

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Scientists revealed Wednesday that Mars’ innermost core appears to be a solid hunk of metal just like Earth’s.

The Chinese-led research team based their findings on seismic readings from NASA’s InSight lander on Mars, which recorded more than 1,300 marsquakes before shutting down in 2022. The spacecraft landed on a broad plain near Mars’ equator in 2018.

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Previous studies pointed to liquid at the heart of the red planet. The latest findings indicate the inner core, while small, is indeed solid and surrounded by molten metal —