Scientists surprised by source of largest quake detected on Mars

On May 4, 2022, NASA's InSight lander detected the largest quake yet recorded on Mars, one with a 4.7 magnitude - fairly modest by Earth standards but strong for our planetary neighbour. "This represents a significant step forward in our understanding of Martian seismic activity and takes us one step closer to better unraveling the planet's tectonic processes," added Imperial College London planetary scientist and study co-author Constantinos Charalambous, co-chair of InSight's Geology Working Group. Conversely, the origin of this one left us puzzled, as no discernible surface features indicated ongoing tectonic processes as a likely cause, particularly ones that would cause such a powerful quake," Charalambous added. "Each seismic event detected by InSight is a valuable piece of the puzzle, but this particular event plays a crucial role in unveiling the Red Planet's geological history, shedding light on its interior and evolution," Charalambous said.