Like a mosquito tunneling into the skin to get at the rich feast within, geologists poked a long, narrow drill into Earth's crust last year, pulling out a treasury of geological goodness. The result ...

Earth's internal structure consists of four layers: the crust, mantle, outer core (liquid iron), and inner core (solid iron), with temperatures increasing significantly with depth, reaching values ...

The distance from the Earth's surface to its center is almost 4,000 miles—but our planet's structure is not uniform and is actually made up of several different layers, some of which are hotter than ...

Seismic waves created by earthquakes as they travel through the planet's interior change speed and direction as they move through different materials. Things like rock type, density, and temperature ...

Mysteries still abound for scientists studying the Earth’s climate, biosphere, surface topography, and even the oceans, but they all have a distinct advantage: the subjects of their inquiries are, to ...

Extreme chemical reactions could explain why Earth's middle layer has so much carbon. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. The ...

Oceanic island hotspots — Hawaii and Iceland — are the final destinations of elemental isotopes from the beginnings of Earth, in concentrations found nowhere else on Earth’s crust. Until now, it was ...

Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. In elementary school science class, we learned that the Earth has ...

A recent study reveals a new, distinct fifth layer of Earth deep inside the core, which could help inform the evolution of Earth’s magnetic field. Back in my day, there were only four layers of Earth: ...

Scientists detect a solid inner core on Mars for the first time, revealing a new chapter in planetary evolution.