New Layer of Rock Discovered in Earth's Mantle

Hi everyone!

I’m sure you have all learned or at least heard about the interior structure of the Earth and its different layers. The principle is easy to understand; the interior structure of the Earth is layered in spherical shells, like an onion. We know about the crust under the oceans and continents, the mantle that goes on for 2,900 kilometers and the iron core. Basically something we have all heard in junior high before.

Now, Earth’s got a new layer. By crushing minerals between anvils made of diamonds, researchers have discovered that the top part of the lower mantle contains an incredibly stiff layer of rock. The findings were published in Nature Geoscience this week.

http://www.nature.com/ngeo/journal/v7/n11/full/ngeo2271.html#access