So, get this—scientists just dropped some wild news in the journal Nature. Earth's inner core, that super-hot solid ball deep inside the planet, might actually stop spinning in about 15 years. Yep, you read that right! Researchers have been tracking earthquake waves and found that the core, which used to rotate from west to east, suddenly stopped around 2009-2010. Now, it’s slowly moving in the opposite direction, and by 2040, it might come to a complete stop before flipping and syncing up with Earth's spin again. This could mess with our magnetic field, so yeah… it’s kind of a big deal. Credit:
CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ :
Earth Core V2: By Ipay, https://skfb.ly/6USXB
Magnetic Field Lines: By ragnaringi, https://skfb.ly/6ZPtz
Diamond Cape Province: By Marie-Lan Taÿ Pamart, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Diamond_Cape_Province_MNHN_Min%C3%A9ralogie.jpg
CC BY-SA 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ :
Bruce Bolt: By Jane Scherr, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bruce_Bolt,_seismologist,_1986.jpg
VFPt cylindermagnet: By Geek3, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:VFPt_cylindermagnet_field-representations.svg
Kolskaya-sverhglubokaya: By Alexander Novikov, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kolskaya-sverhglubokaya-026.jpg
Kinemetrics seismograph: By Yamaguchi先生, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kinemetrics_seismograph.jpg
Rough diamond: By Unknown author, CC BY 3.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ , https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rough_diamond_-_hardest_known_mineral.jpg
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This video is made for entertainment purposes. We do not make any warranties about the completeness, safety and reliability. Any action you take upon the information in this video is strictly at your own risk, and we will not be liable for any damages or losses. It is the viewer's responsibility to use judgement, care and precaution if you plan to replicate.
CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ :
Earth Core V2: By Ipay, https://skfb.ly/6USXB
Magnetic Field Lines: By ragnaringi, https://skfb.ly/6ZPtz
Diamond Cape Province: By Marie-Lan Taÿ Pamart, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Diamond_Cape_Province_MNHN_Min%C3%A9ralogie.jpg
CC BY-SA 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ :
Bruce Bolt: By Jane Scherr, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bruce_Bolt,_seismologist,_1986.jpg
VFPt cylindermagnet: By Geek3, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:VFPt_cylindermagnet_field-representations.svg
Kolskaya-sverhglubokaya: By Alexander Novikov, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kolskaya-sverhglubokaya-026.jpg
Kinemetrics seismograph: By Yamaguchi先生, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kinemetrics_seismograph.jpg
Rough diamond: By Unknown author, CC BY 3.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ , https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rough_diamond_-_hardest_known_mineral.jpg
Animation is created by Bright Side.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Music from TheSoul Sound: https://thesoul-sound.com/
Check our Bright Side podcast on Spotify and leave a positive review! https://open.spotify.com/show/0hUkPxD34jRLrMrJux4VxV
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https://www.shutterstock.com
https://www.eastnews.ru
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For more videos and articles visit: http://www.brightside.me
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This video is made for entertainment purposes. We do not make any warranties about the completeness, safety and reliability. Any action you take upon the information in this video is strictly at your own risk, and we will not be liable for any damages or losses. It is the viewer's responsibility to use judgement, care and precaution if you plan to replicate.
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FunTranscript
00:00In February 2025, scientists discovered something shocking about our planet's insides.
00:07We've long thought that Earth's inner core is a solid and stable sphere.
00:12But the truth may be quite different and a bit alarming.
00:17The recent study suggests that the surface of the core
00:20might be undergoing structural transformations right at this moment.
00:24Researchers from the University of Southern California have analyzed decades of seismic data
00:30and discovered that the surface of the inner core appears to deform under the influence of the outer core.
00:38We've observed such changes for the first time,
00:41but they're likely to explain some peculiarities in the rotation of the inner core.
00:46They could even be influencing the length of days on Earth.
00:49Now, the inner core of our planet, located about 3,100 miles below the surface,
00:55is traditionally described as a solid ball of iron and nickel.
01:00However, new data shows that its outer layer may be more malleable than expected.
01:06This discovery is based on the analysis of seismic waves
01:09from repeated earthquakes near the South Sandwich Islands.
01:13The researchers used enhanced resolution techniques to study these seismic signals.
01:18They observed anomalies in the waves and made an unexpected conclusion.
01:24There must be deformations on the surface of the inner core,
01:27and they could be caused by turbulent interactions with the molten outer core.
01:32Now, this outer core, composed of liquid iron and nickel, has a highly important role.
01:38It helps generate Earth's magnetic field.
01:41Before, we really didn't understand its impact on the inner core.
01:45But now, the new study shows that the turbulent movements of the outer core
01:50could disrupt the surface of the inner core,
01:52and that could cause changes in its shape.
01:55These disturbances might also explain the gradual slowdown in the rotation of the inner core.
02:01Scientists have been observing it since 2010.
02:05On the surface, we really don't notice these changes,
02:08but they could influence Earth's overall rotation and length of days.
02:13The study can help us understand better what's happening deep inside our planet,
02:18how the inner and outer core interact,
02:21and how that affects Earth's magnetic field and movement.
02:25Obviously, direct observation of Earth's core is impossible.
02:29That's why scientists use indirect methods, like analysis of seismic waves.
02:34It also allows us to deduce the structure and composition of the core.
02:39As these waves pass through different layers, they get deflected or stopped.
02:44And this can provide us with clues about the nature of the materials they encounter.
02:49There are also laboratory experiments.
02:53Researchers reproduce the extreme pressures and temperatures of the core
02:56and study the behavior of iron-nickel alloys.
03:00They use sophisticated instruments, such as diamond anvil cells.
03:04And they allow exploration of these extreme conditions.
03:08Then there are studies of meteorites.
03:11The thing is, some of them come from asteroids with a metallic core, like Earth's.
03:16Their chemical composition sometimes provides clues
03:19about the elements present in Earth's depths.
03:22Scientists can also create numerical models.
03:26By combining seismic, experimental, and geochemical data,
03:32they simulate the internal dynamics of our core.
03:36But what would happen if Earth's core suddenly stopped spinning altogether?
03:41Well, it's unclear, but we can make assumptions.
03:44If it was just the solid inner core that stopped,
03:47the answer would be, eh, not much.
03:49Even if it didn't just slow down its movements,
03:52which is happening right now, but stopped altogether,
03:55the main impact would be on the speed of Earth's rotation.
04:00Our days would get longer.
04:02Over time, it could weaken the planet's magnetic field,
04:05which would be bad news,
04:07but not as catastrophic as what would happen if the outer core stopped spinning.
04:12That's when things would get seriously bad.
04:15Without the rotation of the outer core,
04:17Earth would lose its magnetic field,
04:20and the loss of this protective shield would set off a catastrophic chain reaction.
04:25First off, tectonic plates would start colliding in chaotic ways.
04:30Imagine being on a bus when the driver suddenly slams on the brakes
04:34and you go flying into other passengers or on the floor.
04:37The planet would experience something similar,
04:40but with tectonic plates.
04:42Ew.
04:43These violent collisions would cause massive earthquakes along plate boundaries worldwide,
04:48shaking buildings, bridges, and roads.
04:51Water systems, electricity, and phone lines would be destroyed in the chaos.
04:56But this would only be the start.
04:59Without the magnetic field,
05:01cosmic radiation would start hitting Earth's surface.
05:03These high-energy particles from the sun would interact with the oxygen and nitrogen in our atmosphere,
05:10damaging the ozone layer.
05:12This would allow even more radiation to reach Earth's surface,
05:15causing even more damage.
05:18Electronics would fail.
05:20Power grids would collapse.
05:22And communication systems would go dark.
05:25But the effects wouldn't be limited to just humans.
05:28All forms of life would be at risk.
05:30Many animals, like migratory birds and turtles,
05:34rely on Earth's magnetic field for navigation.
05:37With it gone, they would be completely lost.
05:40Birds would lose their sense of direction,
05:42and turtles wouldn't be able to find the beaches where they need to lay their eggs.
05:47Luckily, we don't need to worry about this apocalyptic scenario anytime soon.
05:52The outer core of Earth is very unlikely to stop spinning in our lifetime, or ever.
05:57So, for now, we're safe.
06:00But to truly understand Earth,
06:03you need to go 4,000 miles beneath our feet.
06:07Earth has four main layers,
06:08from the very center to the surface.
06:11The inner core,
06:13outer core,
06:15mantle,
06:16and crust.
06:18Now, except for the crust,
06:19no one has ever explored these deeper layers in person.
06:22The deepest humans have drilled is just over 7 and a half miles,
06:27and that took 20 years to achieve.
06:30At the very center of Earth is the inner core,
06:33a solid metal ball about 758 miles in radius,
06:38which is about three-quarters the size of the Moon.
06:42It sits about 4,000 to 3,200 miles below the surface.
06:46Made mostly of iron and nickel,
06:49the inner core is incredibly dense.
06:52It spins a bit more slowly than the rest of Earth,
06:54and is intensely high,
06:56reaching temperatures of 9,800 degrees Fahrenheit.
07:00It's like the surface of the Sun.
07:02The pressure there is staggering,
07:05over 3 million times greater than the pressure we feel on the surface.
07:08Some research even suggests
07:11that there might be an even smaller, denser core
07:14inside the inner core,
07:16thought to be made mostly of iron.
07:19The outer core is also made of iron and nickel,
07:22but in liquid form.
07:24It sits about 3,200 to 1,800 miles beneath the surface.
07:29The heat here comes mostly from the radioactive decay of elements,
07:33like uranium and thorium,
07:35causing the liquid to churn in massive, turbulent currents.
07:39This motion creates electrical currents,
07:41which generate Earth's magnetic field.
07:44Interestingly,
07:45Earth's magnetic field reverses
07:47about every 200 to 300,000 years,
07:50and scientists are still trying to figure out
07:53exactly why it happens.
07:56The mantle is Earth's thickest layer,
07:59stretching almost 1,800 miles deep.
08:02It starts just around 19 miles beneath the surface.
08:05Made of iron, magnesium, and silicon,
08:09it's dense, hot, and semi-solid.
08:12To imagine it better,
08:13think about caramel candy.
08:16Like the outer core,
08:17the mantle also circulates,
08:19but it moves much more slowly.
08:22Closer to the upper edge of the mantle,
08:24between 62 to 124 miles underground,
08:27the heat is so intense that it melts rock.
08:31This creates a partially melted layer of rock
08:34called the asthenosphere.
08:36Geologists think that this soft, hot, and slippery layer
08:39is what allows Earth's tectonic plates
08:41to move and slide.
08:43Some of the diamonds we find on Earth
08:45come from the mantle.
08:47Most of these diamonds form at depths above 124 miles.
08:51But rarer, super-deep diamonds
08:53may form as deep as 435 miles.
08:57These diamonds are brought to the surface
08:58by a certain kind of volcanic rock
09:01called kimberlite.
09:03The outermost part of the mantle
09:05is cooler and more rigid,
09:06behaving more like the crust above it.
09:09Together, this uppermost part of the mantle
09:11and the crust are called the lithosphere.
09:14As for the crust itself,
09:17it's the outermost layer of Earth.
09:19It's about 25 miles deep
09:21and makes up only 1% of the planet's mass.
09:25And yet, it holds all-known life in the universe.
09:33That's it for today.
09:34So hey, if you pacified your curiosity,
09:36then give the video a like
09:38and share it with your friends.
09:39Or if you want more,
09:40just click on these videos
09:41and stay on the bright side!