Traditionally, textbooks have described the mantle as a viscous, well-mixed layer that shifts along with tectonic plates, much like a conveyor belt. This theory has been a cornerstone of geology for nearly a century but has been notoriously difficult to prove. Now, a study by geologists from Cuba, Colombia, and the Netherlands is challenging that […]
Geology
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“Brittle Stars” Help Identify a New Climatic Period in Earth’s History, Lasting from 50 to 450 AD
A group of researchers from the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Pisa has identified a new climatic period on our planet, named the Ophiuroid Optimum, which spanned from 50 to 450 A.D. The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, was conducted in collaboration with Ca’ Foscari University of Venice and the […]
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Anomalous El Niño Events Caused the Largest Mass Extinction in Earth’s History
A groundbreaking study published in Science, co-led by researchers from the University of Bristol and China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), has uncovered new insights into the causes of the most catastrophic mass extinction in Earth’s history: the Permian-Triassic extinction. This event, which took place around 252 million years ago, wiped out approximately 90% of marine […]
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A massive undersea avalanche devastated the northwest coast of Africa 60,000 years ago
A study from the University of Liverpool has unveiled the colossal scale and devastating impact of a massive underwater avalanche that struck the northwest coast of Africa some 60,000 years ago. This research, published in Science Advances, provides unprecedented insights into the magnitude and destructive force of submarine avalanches, a phenomenon shrouded in mystery until […]
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Scientists Achieve Deep-Sea Drilling Milestone, Recovering Longest Section of Mantle Rocks
In a groundbreaking achievement, a team of international scientists has successfully retrieved a significant section of rock from the Earth’s mantle, marking a new era in the study of our planet’s inner workings. The mantle, located beneath the Earth’s crust and constituting the largest part of the planet, holds key secrets about the origins of […]
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The Yarrabubba Crater, the Oldest Known Meteorite Impact on Earth
The Yarrabubba crater, located between the cities of Sandstone and Meekatharra in Western Australia, is an impact structure that has captured the attention of the scientific community due to its impressive age and geological significance. With an estimated diameter between 30 and 70 kilometers, this crater is approximately 2229 million years old, making it the […]
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A Major Earthquake Changed the Course of the Ganges 2,500 Years Ago: Could It Happen Again?
A groundbreaking study has revealed that a major earthquake 2,500 years ago dramatically altered the course of one of the world’s largest rivers, the Ganges. This previously undocumented earthquake diverted the main channel of the Ganges in what is now Bangladesh, a region still susceptible to significant seismic activity. The study, recently published in the […]
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Scientists Confirm Earth’s Inner Core Rotation is Slowing Down, and is Now Slower than the Surface
Scientists from the University of Southern California (USC) have confirmed that the Earth’s inner core is rotating more slowly than the planet’s surface. This significant finding, published in Nature, reveals that the inner core began to decelerate around 2010, overturning previous beliefs about its rotational dynamics. For decades, the scientific community has debated the movement […]
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Researchers Decode One of the Greatest Environmental Disasters in Earth’s History, the “Carnian Crisis”
The study, published in Scientific Reports, reveals astonishing details about how the global climate changed 233 million years ago, leading to a massive extinction in the seas of the Mesozoic era. The global “Carnian Crisis”, which lasted for two million years (from 234 to 232 million years ago), left its mark on the rocks of […]
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Researchers find the Oldest Undisputed Proof of Earth’s Magnetic Field: 3,7 Billion Years Old
Researchers from the University of Oxford and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have made an important discovery about the history of Earth’s magnetic field. They found the oldest clear evidence that Earth had a magnetic field, dating back 3.7 billion years. This is a significant finding that helps us understand more about the ancient […]
