The Earth’s Core Is Not as Solid As We Thought, Yet Another Study Speculates
A new study of decades worth of seismogram data shows that the surface of Earth’s iron and nickel core is more malleable than scientists thought.
Earth’s Inner Core Has Warped Over the Past Two Decades, Scientists Say
At the center of our planet is a very hot rotating ball of mostly iron and nickel (sorry Journey to the Center of the Earth fans). Scientists infer features of this innermost geographic layer—like the fact that it’s divided into a liquid outer core and a solid inner core—by analyzing how it distorts seismic waves caused by earthquakes.
Earth’s Core Is Changing Shape
A new study shows that the inner core changed shape in just a few decades, challenging previous assumptions and revealing hidden dynamics deep within Earth.
Earth’s inner core is less solid than we thought
Earth’s core is located below the middle layer called the mantle and the outer layer –or crust. It consists of two main parts–a liquid outer core and a more solid inner core. The outer layer is made of liquid iron-nickel and is responsible for producing Earth’s magnetic field.
Scientists accidentally discover Earth's inner core is less solid than expected
For a long time, scientists thought the Earth's inner core was a solid ball of metal, sort of like a planet within a planet that sits some 3,000 miles (4,828 kilometers) below the surface. However, researchers from the University of Southern Carolina (USC) now say they discovered — almost by accident — that the Earth's inner core may be much more malleable.
Earth's inner core may have changed shape, say scientists
The inner core of Earth may have changed shape in the past 20 years, according to a group of scientists. The inner core is usually thought to be shaped like a ball, but its edges may actually have deformed by 100m or more in height in places, according to Prof John Vidale who led the research.
Earth's Inner Core Is Mysteriously Changing Shape, Study Reveals
A new, detailed probe of Earth's heart reveals that the rotating inner core doesn't just change in rotation speed – it also appears to change in shape, with subtle variations appearing in the way acoustic waves propagate through the planetary center.
Scientists Detect Shape-Shifting Along Earth’s Solid Inner Core
Scientists of course cannot cut into Earth and directly observe its insides. Instead, their knowledge is inferred from the vibrations generated by earthquakes that pass through the planet. The speed and the direction of the seismic vibrations change depending on the density and the elasticity of the rocks.
Earth's Inner Core Is Changing Shape, And Scientists Are Puzzled As To Why This Is Happening
Not only is Earth’s inner core spinning and growing, but it’s also changing shape, according to new research. Our planet’s […]
USA Today5d
What lies at the center of the Earth? The answer keeps changing.
Earth's mysterious core is yet again generating headlines as scientists learn more about what lies way beneath our feet. Located 3,000 miles below the Earth’s surface, the inner core is ...
New Scientist on MSN8d
Forces deep underground seem to be deforming Earth's inner core
Seismic waves suggest the planet's solid inner core is being pulled out of shape – and it has undergone these changes over ...
Yahoo8d
Earth's inner core isn't just slowing, it's also shape-shifting, study finds
USC scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery about the nature of the Earth's enigmatic inner core, revealing for the first time that this 1,500-mile-wide ball of iron and nickel is changing ...
The Independent8d
Something is happening inside the Earth, scientists say
In fact, the core might go through a process ... ‘Annual-scale variability in both the rotation rate and near surface of Earth’s inner core’, published in the journal Nature Geoscience.