Beneath roughly 5,150 kilometers of rock, liquid metal, and extreme pressure, Earth’s solid inner core sits at temperatures ...

Geophysicists from ETH Zurich and SUSTech, China, have demonstrated the dynamo effect of the Earth’s core in a model in which viscosity has no influence, as is the correct physical regime for the ...

Earth is fortunate in having a magnetic field: it protects the planet and its life from harmful cosmic radiation. Other planets in our solar system—such as Mars—are constantly bombarded by charged ...

When Earth first formed around 4.5 billion years ago, it was a ball of molten rock. Over time, heavier elements, like iron and nickel, sank to the planet's center, forming the Earth's early core.

Earth cross section showing the classic distinction between crust, mantle and core. But new research shows Earth's structure is far more complicated and may change over time. Analyzing an unusual ...

Scientists have long known that Earth's core is mostly made of iron, but the density is not high enough for it to be pure iron, meaning lighter elements exist in the core, as well. In particular, it's ...

Deep beneath our feet, approximately 2,890 kilometers underground, lies one of Earth's most mysterious regions. The boundary between our planet's molten outer core and solid mantle acts like a massive ...

Deep beneath the Pacific near the equator, Earth’s outer core now flows east instead of west. Dynamics deeper within our planet’s core may help explain the change and what to expect in the near future ...