Scientists have been forced to change their understanding of the inside of Mars after a major new breakthrough. Research looking at seismic waves that were generated when Mars was hit by a meteorite impact suggests that it has a previously unknown layer in its deep interior. Those waves were picked up by Nasa’s InSight lander, which was sent to Mars to better understand its seismic activity. The waves that the lander picked up can be used to get a picture of the anatomy of the planet, by watching how they travel around. The new data indicates the presence of a hitherto unknown layer of molten rock surrounding a liquid metallic core - the planet’s innermost component - that is smaller and denser than previously estimated, researchers said on Wednesday. Waves generated by quakes - including those caused by meteorite impacts - vary in speed and shape when journeying through different material inside a planet. Data from InSight’s seismometer instrument has enabled the planet’s internal structure to come into focus. The meteorite impact that occurred in a Martian highland region called Tempe Terra on Sept. 18, 2021, triggered a magnitude 4.2 quake and left a crater about 425 feet (130 meters) wide. It occurred on the opposite side of Mars from InSight’s location in a plains region called Elysium Planitia. “The importance of the far side impact was to produce seismic waves that traversed the deep interior of the planet, including the core. Previously, we had not observed any seismic waves that had transited the core. We had only seen reflections from the top of the core,” said planetary scientist Amir Khan of ETH Zurich in Switzerland, lead author of one of two scientific papers on the new findings published in the journal Nature. The behavior of the waves indicated that previous assessments of the Martian interior were missing something - the presence of a molten silicate layer about 90 miles (150 km) thick surrounding the core. This molten region sits at the bottom of the interior portion of the planet called the mantle. The researchers also recalculated the size of the core, finding that it has a diameter of about 2,080 miles (3,350 km), with a volume about 30% smaller than previously thought. The researchers said the mantle - a rocky layer sandwiched between the planet’s outermost crust and core - extends about 1,055 miles (1,700 km) below the surface. Unlike Mars, Earth has no molten layer around its core. One of the two studies published on Wednesday indicates this layer is fully molten, with the other indicating that most of it is fully molten, with the top portion partially molten. “The molten and partially molten layer is essentially composed of silicates (rock-forming minerals) that are enriched in iron and in radioactive heat-producing elements compared to the overlying solid mantle,” said Henri Samuel, a planetary scientist with the French national research organization CNRS working at Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris and lead author of the second study. The Martian core is made up mostly of iron and nickel, but also has some lighter elements such as sulfur, oxygen, carbon and hydrogen. The researchers concluded that these lighter elements make up about 9-15% of the core‘s composition by weight, lower than previously estimated. “This amount of light elements is not unlike that of the Earth’s core, which is estimated to be around 10%,” Khan said. Mars, the fourth planet from the sun, has a diameter of about 4,220 miles (6,791 km), compared to Earth’s diameter of about 7,926 miles (12,755 km). Earth is almost seven times larger in total volume. NASA retired InSight in 2022 after four years of operations. “We have learned a lot about Mars by studying the unique seismic record provided by the InSight mission,” Samuel said. “Planets are rich and complex systems because they are a place where many different types of processes coexist and act on various spatial and temporal scales, and Mars is no exception.” Additional reporting by Reuters Read More ‘Crystals brought back by Apollo astronauts indicate true age of the Moon’ Researchers reveal source of largest ever Mars quake Scientists investigate after huge shaking seen across Mars Scientists see huge explosion in space – and it could explain life Massive space explosion observed creating elements needed for life Tim Peake: Possibility of all-UK space mission a ‘very exciting development’

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Katie Taylor and Chantelle Cameron will clash in a huge fight in Dublin this weekend, as the latter defends her undisputed super-lightweight titles against the home fighter. Taylor, the undisputed lightweight champion, and Cameron will both enter the 3Arena undefeated, with Taylor’s record reading 22-0 (6 knockouts) and Cameron’s at 17-0 (8 KOs). Last time out, Taylor outpointed Karen Carabajal in October to retain her four lightweight belts, and now she challenges for the four held by Cameron, who beat Jessica McCaskill on points in November. Taylor is still eyeing a rematch with unified featherweight champion Amanda Serrano, but she cannot afford to overlook her British opponent this weekend. Here’s all you need to know. We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. When is it? The fight will take place at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland on Saturday 20 May. The main card is due to begin at 7pm BST (11am PT, 1pm CT, 2pm ET), with ring walks for the main event expected at approximately 10pm BST (2pm PT, 4pm CT, 5pm ET). How can I watch it? The event will be streamed live on Dazn, a subscription to which is available at three different price points: Monthly Saver (£9.99 per month, with a 12-month commitment), Flexible (£19.99 per month, and can be cancelled at any time), and Annual Super Saver (£99.99 as a one-off payment). Odds Taylor – 8/13 Cameron – 7/5 Draw – 11/1 Full odds via Betway. Full card (subject to change) Katie Taylor vs Chantelle Cameron (for Cameron’s IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO women’s super-lightweight titles) Terri Harper (C) vs Cecelia Braekhus (WBA women’s super-welterweight title) Dennis Hogan vs James Metcalf (super-welterweight) Gary Cully vs Jose Felix (lightweight) Thomas Carty vs Jay McFarlane (heavyweight) Caoimhin Agyarko vs Grant Dennis (super-welterweight) Maisey Rose Courtney vs Kate Radomska (flyweight) Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Katie Taylor and Chantelle Cameron are shaming their male counterparts Why Katie Taylor vs Chantelle Cameron could be won and lost before the first bell Haney vs Lomachenko live stream: How to watch fight online and on TV Why Katie Taylor vs Chantelle Cameron could be won and lost before the first bell Who is fighting on Katie Taylor vs Chantelle Cameron undercard? How to watch Katie Taylor vs Chantelle Cameron online and on TV

The White House has postponed a Pride event set to take place on the South Lawn because of the smoke from the wildfires in Canada enveloping the nation’s capital. The event that was scheduled for Thursday is now planned for Saturday. It’s set to be the largest Pride Month celebration in White House history as the Biden administration attempts to push back against the Republican Party’s measures to restrict the rights of the LGBT+ community on the state level. If the hope that the air quality in Washington, DC improves, the event will see thousands of attendees for a celebration of LGBT+ families featuring singer Betty Who and DJ Queen HD from Baltimore, according to Reuters. “Today’s Pride event on the White House South Lawn will be postponed until Saturday based on the projected air quality in the region,” the White House said. Ahead of the planned event on Thursday, the administration announced new measures to protect LGBT+ communities. “Over a dozen states have enacted anti-LGBTQI+ laws that violate our most basic values and freedoms as Americans, and are cruel and callous to our kids, our neighbors, and those in our community,” the White House said. The measures include the launch of an “LGBTQI+ Community Safety Partnership,” including that the Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division will be the liaison to the community. The administration is also working to strengthen “mental health resources for LGBTQI+ youth, launching a new federal initiative to address LGBTQI+ youth homelessness, releasing federal funding to support programs that help parents affirm their LGBTQI+ kids, and advancing new regulations to protect LGBTQI+ youth in foster care”. “The Department of Education will appoint a new coordinator to address the growing threat that book bans pose for the civil rights of students,” the administration said. The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments tweeted on Thursday that “current air quality in the DC region is Code Purple, very unhealthy for all due to ongoing smoke from fires in Canada”. The council added that the region “has not previously recorded a Code Purple day for fine particle pollution, the type of air pollution we are currently experiencing,” and urged residents to reschedule outdoor activities or move them indoors. The smoke settled over the US capital after moving down from the more than 100 wildfires in eastern Canada, with a low-pressure area off the east coast moving the winds in the direction of DC, according to WUSA9. The Capital Weather Gang tweeted: “How long will the wildfire smoke last? Unfortunately, may hang around into this evening and be bad again on Friday morning in the DC area.” The office of DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said that the issue “is likely to continue or worsen through Friday”. The city’s Major League Baseball team, the Washington Nationals, cancelled their game on Thursday and the National Zoo closed its doors for the day. Some residents wore masks for their outdoor errands and families who may walk to school organized carpools to limit their time outside. At the Walmart on Georgia Avenue in DC, the shelves for air purifiers were almost empty on Wednesday evening, according to The Washington Post. Read More ‘It’s like being on Mars’: The smoke in the air in New York is so thick you can feel it in your lungs Air quality – live: New York pollution to remain hazardous as no end in sight for Canada wildfire smoke Biden invites thousands of LGBTQ+ individuals, singer Betty Who, to Pride Month celebration Brawl breaks out at LA school discussing Pride month celebrations David Furnish slams Ron DeSantis for ‘diabolical’ ant-LGBTQ+ policies The Independent Pride List: These are the top 50 LGBT+ change-makers of 2023

By Emma Farge GENEVA The incoming head of the U.N. migration agency said on Thursday that she has

KELOWNA, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul 10, 2023--

The sale of Fujitsu Ltd.’s majority stake in its air-conditioner manufacturing unit has stalled as the bidders have

The Official Barbie Movie account is criticised for replying to images which made fun of atomic bombs.

Brandon Belt hit a solo homer over the Green Monster and had a go-ahead single, George Springer went 4 for 4 and the Toronto Blue Jays held off the Boston Red Sox 5-4 on Saturday for the second straight day after losing their first seven against them this season

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 7, 2023--

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