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upstart writes:

NASA's InSight lander detects 'monster quake' on Mars:

NASA's InSight Mars lander has just detected the strongest quake ever observed on another planet.

The marsquake, which took place on May 4, registered at magnitude 5, easily beating the previous magnitude record of 4.2 in a quake detected by InSight in August last year. Further study of the natural event, which NASA described as a "monster quake," will help scientists to determine its precise location and the nature of its source. The hope is that it could also offer more information about the red planet's interior.

[...] Mars doesn't have the kind of tectonic plates whose sudden movements cause quakes on Earth. Instead, marsquakes are caused by volcanic activity. Scientists are interested in studying Mars' seismic activity as the data can contribute to a better understanding of the red planet's mantle and core.

In more than three years of monitoring Mars, InSight has detected more than 1,313 quakes. Its highly sensitive seismometer  operates beneath a dome that serves to block out the sound of the wind and protect it from the cold nights.

I blame global warming!

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