Research published last week in Science suggested that the makeup of the
Earth's lower mantle, which makes up the largest part of the Earth by
volume, is significantly different than previously thought.
The work, performed at the Advanced Photon Source at the U.S. Department
of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory, will have a significant impact
on our understanding of the lower mantle, scientists said.
Understanding the composition of the mantle is essential to seismology,
the study of earthquakes and movement below the Earth's surface, and
should shed light on unexplained seismic phenomena observed there.
Though humans haven't yet managed to drill further than seven and a half
miles into the Earth, we've built a comprehensive picture of what's
beneath our feet through calculations and limited observation. We all
live atop the crust, the thin outer layer; just beneath is the mantle,
outer core and finally inner core.
