Earth's mantle
Coverage of Earth's mantle in the Nexus archive.
- Hidden store of manganese may have helped Earth get its oxygen
Computer simulations have identified a new manganese compound potentially present in Earth's mantle, which may be linked to the process that oxygenated the planet's atmosphere. The discovery suggests hidden manganese reservoirs could have played a role in Earth's oxygenation history.
- Want an oxygen-rich atmosphere? Stuff oxygen’s friends in the mantle.
Earth's oxygen-rich atmosphere developed over billions of years through a combination of biological and geological processes. A new study led by Wei Shi links changes in tectonic plate subduction to significant increases in atmospheric oxygen levels.
- Scientists discover hidden forces are warping Earth deep beneath the surface
Scientists have mapped deformation in Earth's deepest mantle, revealing ancient tectonic plates buried thousands of kilometers underground. Using global seismic data, they confirmed theories about these slabs' influence on mantle deformation for the first time on a global scale.