Scientists had previously confirmed that Earth’s inner core rotates more slowly compared to the planet’s surface.
Now, they have uncovered another astonishing secret hidden deep within the Earth.
According to scientists, the structure of the Earth’s inner core is undergoing changes.
It is important to note that the Earth’s outer layer consists of liquid metal, while the inner core is composed of solid metals, with a size equivalent to 70% of the Moon’s volume.
This core is located approximately 4,800 kilometers beneath our feet.
For the first time, researchers have discovered evidence suggesting that the inner core has undergone changes over the past 20 years.
These changes were detected by analyzing seismic waves from earthquakes.
Researchers used seismic data from the same 2024 study that examined the speed of the Earth’s inner core rotation.
For the 2024 study, experts collected data from 121 earthquakes recorded between 1991 and 2023 in the South Sandwich Islands.
In the new research, the analysis of earthquake waves indicated that the surface of the Earth’s inner core is undergoing changes.
The researchers explained that they compared seismic signals that bounced off the inner core with past signals to determine whether any differences existed.
They further stated that changes in the inner core’s surface provide insights into the deep-seated magnetic forces within the Earth, which help protect our planet from solar storms and lethal radiation.
According to the scientists, Earth’s evolution is a continuous process, and understanding these changes will help us better comprehend the inner core.
Previous studies focused on variations in the rotation of the inner core, while this new research has revealed an entirely new aspect.
The inner core is the most distant and mysterious layer of the Earth, where the estimated temperature reaches around 5,400 degrees Celsius.
The researchers described the discovery as something out of science fiction—imagining what happens at the surface of the inner core is like visualizing an entirely different world, where time and matter behave differently.
Despite these challenges, scientists have managed to peer into this hidden realm and uncover its secrets.
