Mysterious 'Supercontinents' Inside Earth Challenge Mantle Theory
NewsweekJAN 25
Study Reveals New Details of Giant Underground Mountains That Dwarf Everest
Above: Mount Everest as seen from Kallapattar viewpoint on Oct. 12, 2024, in Gorakshep, Sagarmatha Region, Nepal. Image copyright: Mailee Osten-Tan/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
Scientists from Utrecht University have revealed news details of two enormous continent-sized structures buried approximately 1.2K miles beneath the Earth's surface. One is located under Africa, and the other in the Pacific Ocean.
These structures, known as Large Low Seismic Velocity Provinces (LLSVPs), reach heights of about 620 miles — more than 100 times taller than Mount Everest — and are surrounded by a "graveyard" of sunken tectonic plates.
The study, published in Nature on Wednesday, reveals that these structures are significantly hotter than surrounding areas and consist of larger mineral grains. This indicates they are at least 500M years old, possibly dating back to Earth's formation.
The Spin
Narrative A
These ancient structures are crucial for understanding Earth's evolution and current geological processes. The LLSVPs likely influenced volcanic activity worldwide by generating mantle plumes at their edges, which created volcanic hotspots like Hawaii and Iceland. Their existence proves that Earth's internal structure is more complex and stable than previously thought.
Narrative B
The structures could possibly support the theory of a catastrophic collision between Earth and a Mars-sized planet called Theia 4.5B years ago. This alternative origin theory suggests they are actually fragments of an alien world, which could explain their unique composition and resistance to mixing with Earth's mantle.