Information from igneous zircon molecules gives researchers new insight into the workings of inner Earth.
Earth’s crust
Hydraulic Fractures Are Lazy
The layering of rock masses can help constrain and focus the growth of hydraulic fractures.
From First Continents to Fancy Countertops
A new study suggests melting gabbros may have helped form Earth’s first continents, riling a long-standing debate.
A Strong Pacific Plate Bends Under the Hawaiian Volcanic Chain
Two seismic studies reveal the volcanic loads and resulting flexure of the Pacific plate at the Hawaiian Ridge and, surprisingly, show no magmatic underplating.
Illuminating the Complex Structural Fabric Beneath the European Alps
A new study investigates the dynamics of the complex continental collision that formed the European Alps and reveals how structural alignments change with depth.
Flowing Crust Pushes Faults on Their Backs
Puzzlingly shallow faults in western Türkiye are likely getting a boost from below.
The 2023 Türkiye-Syria Earthquakes Shifted Stress in the Crust
In February, a devastating magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the eastern Mediterranean, triggering a second major jolt and a cascade of aftershocks.
Digging Deep into Interactions Between the Core and Mantle
A new book presents major advances in our understanding of core-mantle interaction and co-evolution, and showcases technological developments improving our insights into deep Earth processes.
Machine Learning Helps Constrain the Thickness of Ancient Crust
A machine learning model trained using data on the chemical composition of magmatic rocks yields comparable, if not better, results to previously developed geochemical proxies.
GPS Observations Sense Groundwater Change in Australia
By exploiting the fact that changes in groundwater cause deformations of the Earth’s surface, GPS receivers are used to detect groundwater changes related to extreme events and to seasonal oscillations.