New hope of finding life on Mars after indication of water, scientists say

Vast amounts of water could be trapped deep within the crust of Mars, scientists have said, raising fresh questions about the possibility of life on the red planet.

Now scientists say their calculations suggest vast quantities of liquid water are to be found trapped within rocks about 11.5-20km below the Martian surface.

Wright added that if the measurements at the Insight lander location were representative of the whole planet, the amount of water trapped in the rock fractures would fill a 1-2km-deep ocean on Mars.

While the results do not rule out the possibility that water has also been lost to space or trapped in minerals, Wright said the work allowed scientists to re-assess the relative contributions of these different mechanisms to the loss of past Martian surface water.

The study also raises a tantalising possibility.

Dr Steven Banham of Imperial College London added that identifying liquid water in the mid-crust would also help geophysicists and geologists understand the internal structure of Mars and how it behaves.

However, Banham raised doubts such water could provide a resource for crewed missions to Mars.