When it comes to understanding the planet we call home there is always something new to learn even for those of us who didn’t excel in science class. For years, there has been speculation about what lies within Earth’s core. While many people may assume it is just a solid round ball, but recent discoveries challenge that particular theory.
Their unique approach allowed them to study the core in unprecedented detail and it was leading to the identification of a solid metal core. It is also known as an ‘innermost inner core’ or IMIC. This solid metal core was estimated to be around 800 miles in diameter and it constitutes nearly one percent of Earth’s volume. It is a much larger size than previously predicted.
Last July, seismologists at the Australian National University made a groundbreaking revelation and it is a solid metal ball exists right at the center of Earth’s core. Through their studies of earthquakes and seismic waves traveling through the planet, scientists Thanh-Son Phạm and Hrvoje Tkalčić discovered this solid metal core, which they believe formed after a significant global event in the distant past.
Phạm and Tkalčić propose that the metal inner core could serve as a ‘fossilized record’ of a significant tectonic event, offering insights into Earth’s evolutionary processes. Their findings underscore the importance of studying Earth’s core, not just for academic curiosity but also for understanding the fundamental mechanisms shaping life on our planet.
According to Phạm, the solid metal core differs from the outer layer of the core in terms of atomic arrangement, suggesting it may possess distinct properties affecting the speed of seismic waves passing through it. Our researchers speculate that this solid metal core could hold vital clues about Earth’s history and the evolution of life on the planet’s surface.
