Scientists left baffled after making discovery about Earth’s core that could change everything they knew

Scientists are completely puzzled by a new discovery about Earth’s core that could completely change what we thought we knew about our planet. Deep beneath the surface, thousands of miles below our feet, something unusual is happening in the Earth’s core, and it’s leaving researchers scratching their heads.

Most of us learned in school that Earth is made up of four main layers: the crust, the mantle, the outer core, and the inner core. The crust is the solid surface we live on, and below it is the mantle, a dense layer that protects us from the extremely hot, molten outer core. At the very center is the inner core, a solid ball of metal that stays solid despite the intense heat because of the enormous pressure surrounding it.

But now, scientists are saying this might not be the case anymore—or at least, it’s not as straightforward as we thought. According to research from the University of Southern California, the Earth’s inner core, which was always thought to be a solid, dense metal sphere, might be changing its shape. This discovery was made by studying earthquake shockwaves, and the findings were published in the journal *Natural Geoscience*.

The researchers believe that the inner core is undergoing something called “viscous deformation,” meaning its shape is slowly changing, especially along its outer edges where it meets the molten outer core. This is surprising because the inner core was thought to be stable and unchanging on a human timescale. However, the turbulent movements of the molten outer core seem to be affecting the inner core in ways scientists didn’t expect.

Professor John Vidale, who was involved in the study, explained that while the outer core’s turbulence was known, it was never observed to disturb the inner core so directly. “What we’re observing in this study for the first time is likely the outer core disturbing the inner core,” he said. This interaction between the two layers is something entirely new and unexpected.

The Earth’s core is incredibly important to life on our planet. It’s responsible for generating the magnetic field that protects us from harmful solar radiation and cosmic particles. Without this magnetic field, Earth would be exposed to the sun’s solar wind, making life as we know it impossible. That’s why scientists are so eager to understand what’s happening deep inside the Earth, even though it’s nearly impossible to explore directly.

Since we can’t physically travel to the core, scientists rely on indirect methods to study it. One of the main ways they do this is by analyzing how earthquake shockwaves travel through the Earth. By studying repeat earthquakes in the same area, researchers can detect changes in the way these waves move, which can indicate changes in the core’s structure or behavior.

Professor Vidale described the discovery as something out of science fiction. “It’s almost science fiction to visualise what’s happening on the surface of the inner core,” he said. “It’s a place that’s so different from our day-to-day lives, with different timescales, different materials, and incredible forces.”

This discovery raises many questions about how the Earth’s core works and what these changes might mean for the planet’s future. While it’s still too early to say exactly what’s happening or why, one thing is clear: our understanding of Earth’s core is far from complete, and there’s still so much to learn about the mysterious forces at work deep beneath our feet.