Scientists Uncover Earth’s Secret Sixth Ocean Beneath Crust

Scientists remain captivated by Earth’s mysterious mantle, continuously studying it to uncover discoveries. 

Scientists Reveal Hidden Ocean Beneath Earth’s Crust

The geography of Earth took a surprising turn when scientists uncovered a missing continent beneath the Earth’s crust, 375 years after it had vanished from knowledge.

Scientists have now uncovered a massive hidden ocean beneath Earth’s crust. This ocean, stored within the crystal structure of ringwoodite rock, remained concealed for years and offers a new understanding of Earth’s composition.

Scientists have found that a rock called “ringwoodite,” located about 400 miles beneath the Earth’s surface, contains a vast supply of water stored within its crystal structure. 

Previously, scientists discovered that water in Earth’s mantle was stored in a sponge-like state within the rock, which isn’t solid, liquid, or gas, but a unique fourth state. 

“There Is Something Very Special About The Crystal Structure”

The research was detailed in a scientific paper called “Dehydration Melting at the Top of the Lower Mantle,” published in 2014.

“The ringwoodite is like a sponge, soaking up water, there is something very special about the crystal structure of ringwoodite that allows it to attract hydrogen and trap water,” said geophysicist Steve Jacobsen, who was part of the team of scientists.

“This mineral can contain a lot of water under conditions of the deep mantle. I think we are finally seeing evidence for a whole Earth water cycle, which may help explain the vast amount of liquid water on the surface of our habitable planet. Scientists have been looking for this missing deep water for decades,” he continued.

Researchers Uncover New Ecosystem in Volcanic Crust

Scientists discovered by analyzing earthquakes and observing that seismometers were picking up signals from beneath the Earth’s surface.

Through their findings, scientists determined that water existed within the rock called ringwoodite. The presence of just 1 percent of water in this rock indicated that there is three times more water beneath the Earth’s surface than in all five oceans combined.

In addition to discovering the ocean, researchers also found an entirely new ecosystem while examining the volcanic crust with an underwater robot.

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