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The Earth's core is one of the most enigmatic regions on our planet, as it’s an area we can’t physically explore. A wealth of information exists about this hidden part of Earth, and many scientific documentaries have been produced surrounding the subject.
Although we have access to a great deal of knowledge about the core through the internet, there's still so much to uncover about this intense and hard-to-reach place. This list will explore 10 intriguing facts, theories, and myths you may not have known about the Earth’s center.
10. The Core’s Enormous Size
When we think about Earth’s layers, the core is the smallest and deepest section. This can lead to misunderstandings that the Earth’s core is actually quite small.
In reality, the Earth’s core is nearly the size of the Moon. Its diameter spans about 2,440 kilometers (1,516 miles), and it constitutes 19 percent of the Earth's total volume.
Considering the core is almost as large as the Moon, it really emphasizes the immense scale of our planet. It’s also logical that the core is so massive, as it plays a crucial role in many processes occurring on Earth.
9. The Core’s Spin Speed
We all know Earth is constantly rotating. Interestingly, research suggests the core actually spins at a faster rate than the other layers of the planet.
In 1997, Columbia University gathered experimental data regarding the rotation speed of Earth’s inner layers. Researchers discovered that while the core rotates in sync with the rest of the planet, it does so at a slightly different pace. They found the core completes a full rotation two-thirds of a second quicker than the other layers.
Although two-thirds of a second may seem insignificant, it’s fascinating to realize that the entire planet spins at the same speed except for this one layer. So, what causes this layer to rotate faster?
Scientists have proposed a variety of theories. One possibility is that the core's faster rotation may be due to its dense, innermost position. Another theory suggests that the core's liquid component could be a contributing factor.
8. Protection From Solar Radiation
Earth is surrounded by several protective forces that shield us from the harsh heat and radiation of the Sun. While life would not exist without the Sun, our planet would resemble a barren wasteland like Mars without Earth's protective mechanisms.
The core plays a crucial role in this defense. The liquids within it generate a geomagnetic field that interacts with the Sun's interplanetary magnetic field. This interaction creates the magnetosphere, extending from Earth into space and safeguarding us from the Sun’s solar winds.
Without the magnetosphere, we would be vulnerable to deadly solar radiation. In fact, life as we know it on Earth would be impossible. It’s astounding how the core, deep within our planet, plays such a vital role in shielding us from the Sun’s powerful influence.
7. How Close Have We Gotten?
The Earth's core is incredibly hot, to the point where part of it exists in a liquid state. Naturally, no one has ever made it to the center of the Earth, but a few determined individuals have attempted to explore how deep they could go.
The Kola Superdeep Borehole holds the record for the deepest human-made hole on Earth. It reaches just over 12 kilometers (7.5 mi) into the ground. At that depth, the temperature inside the hole rises to 180 degrees Celsius (356 °F).
Temperature is a significant factor in determining how deep we can dig, but the hardness of the rocks at those depths also presents a major challenge. It took researchers 19 years—from 1970 to 1989—to drill that far into the Earth. The vastness of the Earth and the journey still ahead to reach the hidden core is truly mind-blowing.
6. Plate Tectonics and Continental Drift
The concepts of plate tectonics and continental drift are some of the most intriguing and thought-provoking ideas in Earth science. They explain how Earth's continental plates are constantly shifting, sometimes even forming massive supercontinents like Pangaea.
The dynamic behavior of the Earth’s core provides strong support for these theories. The core remains unstable due to its liquid state, with volatile elements mixing continually. This movement of unstable substances drives plate tectonics and the phenomenon of continental drift.
5. Ocean Drilling
As we've noted, it's impossible for humans or anything else to physically reach the Earth's core due to the extreme heat. However, scientists have been able to conduct ocean drilling for many years, uncovering valuable insights about the planet’s core. By drilling deep into the ocean, they can observe how the Earth changes as they approach the core.
Scientific ocean drilling has uncovered a wealth of knowledge about the Earth's crust and core. It has led to the discovery of new species of marine life, helped to explain how the Earth's core drives continental drift, and revealed environmental shifts on our planet over millions of years.
4. Global Changes
The Earth's core plays a far more significant role than we ever imagined in shaping the crust and other layers of the planet. We now know that the core is responsible for continental drift, provides protection from the Sun, and gives us valuable insights into global changes. During ocean drilling projects, scientists retrieved core samples from deep beneath the seafloor, which have yielded many important discoveries.
One such set of core samples showed that the Arctic region once had a subtropical climate 55 million years ago. It's mind-blowing to think how much we can uncover about our planet by studying its core.
3. Hollow Earth Theory
Let's wrap up with a conspiracy theory related to the Earth's core.
Instead of accepting the core we've discussed, proponents of the hollow Earth theory argue that the Earth is hollow and home to secret civilizations. According to them, these civilizations were forced underground due to wars on the planet's surface. They also believe that these underground societies are far more advanced than modern humans.
This theory has persisted for centuries and appears in various cultures. Hollow Earth enthusiasts also claim that UFOs are not of extraterrestrial origin but rather the creations of these hidden civilizations within the Earth's center.
Although there's no scientific basis for this theory, it's certainly intriguing. Imagine if there were actually civilizations living deep beneath our feet—how fascinating would that be?
2. Why Is The Core So Hot?
We now understand that the core consists of two layers. These are the hottest regions of the Earth: one is solid iron, while the other is liquid. Remarkably, the Earth's center can reach temperatures as high as 6,000 degrees Celsius (10,800 °F).
But what makes the core so hot?
Firstly, there's significant radioactive decay happening. This process also plays a role in continental drift. Secondly, the Earth's core generates heat due to the gravitational tug between the Earth and the Moon. These forces continuously pull on each other. Lastly, some of the heat in the core is leftover from the planet's initial formation.
1. Makeup Of The Core
The Earth's core is made up of numerous elements that collaborate to generate extreme heat. It has two distinct parts: the solid inner core composed of iron (as stated by NASA) and the outer core, which is the hottest region of our planet.
The liquid outer core envelops the solid inner core and is formed from a nickel-iron alloy. It's fascinating to realize that one of the layers of our planet is actually in liquid form.
