By: Theodore Tong
Scientists have made an amazing discovery. They have found a long section of rocks from deep down inside the Earth. These rocks come from the Earth’s mantle, which is a huge part of our planet, sitting between the outer crust and the super-hot core.
To get these rocks, scientists used a special ship that can drill very deeply into the ocean floor. They dug the deepest hole ever, going down 1,268 meters below the Atlantic Ocean’s seafloor. This is over 1,000 meters deeper than the previous record.
The Earth’s mantle is very mysterious. It makes up more than 80% of our planet, but we don’t know much about it. By studying these rocks, scientists hope to learn secrets about the Earth’s history.
The rocks could tell us what the Earth was like a long, long time ago, even before there were plants or animals. They might also help us understand how life began on Earth.
This discovery is important because it shows how the mantle has changed over time. When the mantle rises towards the surface, it melts and forms magma, which can lead to volcanoes. By understanding these rocks, scientists can learn more about how volcanoes work.
The team from Cardiff University, led by Professor Johan Lissenberg, is studying these special rocks. They found that the rocks have less of a mineral called pyroxene and a lot of magnesium.
This exciting find is just the beginning. The scientists will keep studying the rocks to uncover more secrets about our amazing planet.