Groundbreaking Discovery of Hidden Molten Rock Layer Under Earth’s Tectonic Plates
Scientists have discovered a new layer of partly molten rock under the Earth’s crust that might help settle a long-standing debate about how tectonic plates…
Scientists have discovered a new layer of partly molten rock under the Earth’s crust that might help settle a long-standing debate about how tectonic plates…
Supershear earthquakes occur when a fault ruptures faster than seismic shear waves can travel through rock. The events were thought to be rare because scientists…
Giant Mantle Plume Reveals Mars Is More Active Than Previously Thought Orbital observations unveil the presence of an enormous mantle plume pushing the surface of…
Research led by Harvard University offers new, sharper proof of early plate tectonics and flipping of geomagnetic poles. New evidence points to the role of…
New research has found that the world’s next supercontinent, Amasia, will most likely form when the Pacific Ocean closes in 200 to 300 million years….
Continental movement is capable of throttling marine oxygen. A previously overlooked factor — the position of continents — helps fill Earth’s oceans with life-supporting oxygen….
Zircons (and the Secrets They Hold) Are Forever Scientists have long known that plate tectonics, the movement of distinct, rigid plates that make up the…
New models that show how the continents were assembled are providing fresh insights into the history of the Earth and will help provide a better…
This network of long grooves and scratches forms part of a giant fault system on Mars known as Tantalus Fossae, and is shown here as…
On the micrometer scale deformation properties of metals change profoundly: the smooth and continuous behavior of bulk materials often becomes jerky due to random strain…
Earthquakes themselves affect the movement of Earth’s tectonic plates, which in turn could impact on future earthquakes, according to new research from the University of…
By analyzing the chemistry of over 200 geothermal springs, researchers have identified where the Indian Plate ends beneath Tibet, debunking some long-debated theories about the…
Every geography schoolbook has them: maps that look like today’s Earth, but not quite, since all continents are merged into a single supercontinent. Those maps…
Ice action seems responsible for ancient erosion of rock across the planet. New research provides further evidence that rocks representing up to a billion years…
New research has confirmed the frequency of asteroid collisions that formed impact craters on Mars has been consistent over the past 600 million years. The…
A simulation of the evolution of the Earth’s interior over time, showing the thermal (bottom), chemical (middle), and thermochemical evolution under the simulated conditions. The…
Earthquakes of similar magnitude can cause tsunamis of greatly varying sizes. This commonly observed, but not well-understood phenomenon has hindered reliable warnings of local tsunamis….
Our world’s surface is a jumble of jostling tectonic plates, with new ones emerging as others are pulled under. The ongoing cycle keeps our continents…