Improved imaging of the Earth’s interior has unlocked new subsurface mysteries, including an area 600 miles (1,000 kilometers) down where the mantle’s usual flow pattern changes.
Now, at a lab bench on the planet’s surface, a team of researchers might have found the reason why.
Read/listen to my full story at KJZZ’s Arizona Science Desk:
Researchers Use Diamond Vise To Crack Mantle Mystery
From where you currently stand, the farthest you can travel on Earth is about 7,900 miles (12,700 kilometers) straight down. What’s more, were it not for some pesky geophysical realities such as crushing pressure, scorching heat and differential rotation spoiling your fun, you could get there in less than 45 minutes. All you need is a modest tunnel … right?
What would happen if I drilled a tunnel through the center of the Earth and jumped into it?