Get the latest Science News and Discoveries

Earth's core mystery solved: How solid rock flows 3,000 kilometers beneath us


Beneath Earth s surface, nearly 3,000 kilometers down, lies a mysterious layer where seismic waves speed up inexplicably. For decades, scientists puzzled over this D" layer. Now, groundbreaking experiments by ETH Zurich have finally revealed that solid rock flows at extreme depths, acting like liquid in motion. This horizontal mantle flow aligns mineral crystals called post-perovskite in a single direction, explaining the seismic behavior. It s a stunning leap in understanding Earth s deep inner mechanics, transforming a long-standing mystery into a vivid map of subterranean currents that power volcanoes, earthquakes, and even the magnetic field.

None

Get the Android app

Or read this on ScienceDaily

Read more on:

Photo of core mystery

core mystery

Photo of Earth

Earth

Photo of Kilometers

Kilometers

Related news:

News photo

Earth’s Secret Hydrogen Vault: Trapped Underground, Ready to Power the Future

News photo

Under the Pacific Ocean, ancient sediment reveals Earth’s history - EurekAlert!

News photo

Earth's energy imbalance is rising much faster than scientists expected — and now researchers worry they might lose the means to figure out why. Data suggest Earth's energy imbalance has more than doubled over the past two decades, massively exceeding the increase predicted by climate models.