What powers earthquakes? Why does Earth have moving tectonic plates while most other planets do not? And could the geology hidden deep inside a planet determine whether life can exist there at all? In this episode, Prof. Chhavi Jain joins us for a deep dive into planetary interiors, tectonics, and planetary quakes across the Solar System and beyond. We explore how scientists use different techniques to study the interiors of worlds they cannot directly access, what moonquakes and marsquakes are teaching us about the Moon and Mars, and why Earth may be uniquely geologically active.

The conversation also explores one of the biggest questions in planetary science today: whether plate tectonics could be linked to planetary habitability. Could tectonic activity help regulate a planet’s climate? Could it become an observable signature on exoplanets in the future?

From earthquakes and mantle dynamics to alien worlds and the search for habitable planets, this episode takes you beneath the surface of worlds — both familiar and distant.

Podcast vom 07.06.2026

Moderation und Redaktion: Tejpreet Kaur

The post #40 Beneath the Surface – Planetary Interiors, Tectonics & the Search for Habitable Worlds appeared first on Kanal K.