Introduction
Deep within the Earth is one of the most mysterious and least understood places on our planet—and that is the Earth’s core. Hidden beneath thousands of miles of rock and metal, the core is the engine driving our planet, which influences everything from volcanic activity to the Earth’s magnetic field.
Though we have ne’er physically seen it, the scientists managed to disentangle some of its secrets from observations of seismic waves, magnetic studies, and advanced simulations. Here are 10 delightful nuggets that graphically illustrate the mysteries of the Earth’s core, which will have you crashing with wonder at what exists below us.
10. The core of the Earth is hotter than the surface of the sun
Temperature: 10,800°F (6,000°C)
Table of Contents
Why it’s fascinating:
- Weather the inner core of the Earth is almost As hot as the sun’s surface!
- The heat comes from radioactive decay, residual heat from the formation of Earth, and overwhelming gravitational pressure, which keeps everything very tightly bound.
Fun Fact:
The inner core stays solid due to immense pressure preventing it from melting.
9. The core is mainly made of iron and nickel
Composition: 85% Iron, 10% Nickel, 5% Other Elements
Why it’s fascinating:
- The core is a big metal ball in the middle of the Earth.
- The metals in the core are responsible for creating the Earth’s magnetic field.
- Scientists think it also contained lighter elements like oxygen, sulfur, and silicon.
Fun Fact:
The iron of the core is so large that it accounts for one-third of the Earth’s mass; in perspective, it’s worth noting that the core itself takes up only 15% volume of the Earth’s total.
8. While the inner core keeps growing, the outer core is shrinking
Growth Rate: Around 1mm yearly.
Why it’s fascinating:
- Thus, the inner core is growing minute by minute, as molten iron from the outer core solidifies.
- So the outer core is deflating as the ages go by.
- Scientists estimate that billions of years from now, the entire core may solidify into a solid mass.
Fun Fact:
This releases heat, which drives plate tectonics and volcanic activity on the surface of the Earth!
7. The Core Makes the Earth’s Magnetic Field
Source of Energy: Motion of Liquid Metal in the Outer Core
It’s a matter of Astonishment:
- The motion of molten iron and nickel in the outer core gives rise to the magnetic field of the Earth.
- This field protects us from solar radiation and cosmic rays.
- Without the core in motion, solar winds would have gradually stripped away Earth’s atmosphere, similar to what happened to Mars!
Fun Fact:
Auroras are formed when solar particles are trapped by the magnetic field and are funneled toward the poles, illuminating the night sky!
6. The Inner Core might be Spinning Faster or Slower than the Earth
Rotation: Might go faster or slower than Earth’s surface
Its Matter of Astonishment:
- Scientists have found that the motion of the inner core could be slightly quicker or slower than that of the Earth’s surface.
- Research suggests it rotates slightly quicker than gaining about 1 degree every million years.
- Other studies state the core is slowing down, which could cause shifting of the entire Earth’s magnetic field.
Fun Fact:
This “super-rotation” could make the length of our days and the climate change through the ages!
5. The Core was Discovered by Study of Earthquake Waves
Discoverer: First confirmed in 1906 by studying seismic waves
Its Matter of Astonishment:
- As we are unable to drill to the core, scientists study how seismic waves move through Earth to learn about its interior.
- Different solids and liquids make their seismic waves travel differently through them, which provides evidence of the fact that the Earth has both a solid inner core and a liquid outer core.
Fun Fact:
A crucial piece was in 1936 when Inge Lehmann discovered the Earth’s inner core through the analysis of seismic data!
4. The outer core is totally in the molten state
State: Molten iron and nickel
Why it’s interesting:
- In contrast to the solid inner core, the outer core is liquid because of lower pressure.
- This metallic gas layer churns constantly, injecting the earth’s magnetic field.
Did you know?:
It stretches more than 1400 miles thick and is more giant than Mars itself at the outer core.
3. Descent to the Earth’s core is way deeper than Mount Everest is tall!
Depth: 1,800 miles below Earth’s surface
Why it’s interesting:
- You could stack 300 Mount Everests on each other up to core level if they were placed on the surface.
- The depth of the core is still beyond any drilling equipment on earth; the deepest borehole, the Kola Superdeep Borehole, barely reached 7.5 miles deep.
Did you know?:
You would fall freefall to the core and take about 19 minutes if you could drill through.
2. Cooling at an excruciatingly slow rate
Cooling rate: 100 degrees Celsius for every 1 billion years
Why it’s interesting:
- The core of the earth, same as the other planets’ cores, has been losing heat over time.
- Billions of years ago, the earth used to be much hotter when the entire core was molten.
- In millions of years, the core of the earth would become cool and turn solid, making the earth similar to Mars-like a dead planet.
Did you know?:
The core is indeed very hot and even as the core cools; it will take billions of years before it entirely turns solid.
1. They are trying to drill into the core of the earth
Mission: Several projects aimed at reaching the mantle of the earth.
Why it’s interesting:
- No one has ever drilled further than the crust of the earth, of course by the core.
- That’s what makes it all so interesting; scientists have taken on projects like Project Mohole (1960s) and Japan’s Chikyu Mission to connect with the mantle.
- A deeper understanding of the core offers exciting possibilities, such as learning about Earth’s magnetic field, geology, and planetary formation.
Fun Fact:
If we ever manage to get down that deep into the mantle, it would have to be counted as one of the greatest human achievements, giving insight into the interiors of our planet.
Conclusion:
The core of the Earth is an unknown world and lies furtively under our feet, acting as the driving force behind volcanoes, earthquakes, and also the protection of our planet from harmful solar winds due to an effective magnetic field around it. We may never look at it physically, but scientists continue to study the core, revealing its secrets and shaping our understanding of how Earth came into being and what future lies ahead for our planet.
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