Subscribe now

Space

Largest quake ever seen on Mars points to surprising seismic activity

Mars is generally thought of as being geologically dead, but a huge marsquake measured by NASA's InSight lander suggests otherwise

By Alex Wilkins

17 October 2023

What’s going on beneath the surface of Mars? More than you might think

NASA/JPL-Caltech

The most powerful quake ever recorded on Mars was produced by tectonic forces from within its crust, not a meteor impact, which suggests that the Red Planet might be much more seismically active than previously thought.

In 2022, NASA’s InSight lander detected a magnitude-4.7 marsquake, called S1222a, which was five times larger than the previous most powerful one on record. Scientists had found fresh meteor craters associated with the next two biggest marsquakes, so they thought it likely that S1222a was produced from an…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox! We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, subscribe today with our introductory offers

View introductory offers

No commitment, cancel anytime*

Offer ends 2nd of July 2024.

*Cancel anytime within 14 days of payment to receive a refund on unserved issues.

Inclusive of applicable taxes (VAT)

or

Existing subscribers

Sign in to your account