Earth's Core is Slowing Down, But Don't Worry!
A visualization of the Earth's magnetic field, generated by the iron inner core. (Source: NASA)
3,200 miles below our feet, a massive ball of iron lies at the heart of our planet, and it's starting to slow down. The Earth’s inner core is about as hot as the surface of our sun, but it’s this fiery iron sphere that sustains life on our planet by generating the magnetic field that protects us from solar winds. So when you hear that the Earth’s core has been slowing down, you might be inclined to panic, but never fear! The core is simply going through a process it’s repeated an untold number of times before.
First things first, how do we even study the Earth’s core? Scientists rely on seismic readings to record how earthquake waves are distorted as they travel through the Earth. When seismologists began using this method, they found that concurrent waves from earthquake doublets were being distorted differently. This must have meant the Earth’s core was spinning, and thus in different positions as the successive waves passed through.
Notes taken by Igne Lehmann, who in 1936 discovered the Earth has a solid inner core. Lehmann's basic method for studying the core with earthquake waves has remained much unchanged today. (Source: Vox)
More recently, it’s been found that the difference between such waves over the past ten years has become less pronounced, suggesting the Earth’s core is slowing down. This isn’t something to panic over. In fact, it’s a part of a rhythm of the Earth’s core that spans 70 year cycles as the core exceeds and then falls behind the Earth’s surface rotation. This happens because of two competing forces affecting the core: the molten metal of the outer core and the gravity of the mantle.
For the study, researchers Yi Yang and Xiaodong Song of Peking University in Beijing made use of seismic records of the past sixty years to track the dissonance between the waves of multiplet earthquakes—earthquakes that release multiple identical pulses. As these waves originate at the same velocity, the difference between them can be attributed to how they passed through the Earth’s core. By compiling this data, one can build a rough model of the core’s speeds over the past sixty years.
While the Earth’s core slowing down is nothing to worry about, much remains unknown about the iron ball at the center of our planet. The core’s inaccessibility leaves scientists with much to speculate, with only the distortions of earthquake waves to study it. But studying the core allows us to understand the forces that make life on Earth possible in the first place, as well as shed light on the formation of our planet. For now though our knowledge remains limited on the innermost part of our planet.
Featured Product
SR-71 Blackbird Fragment
Latest News
-
Sep 11, 2025 Vader’s Lightsaber Becomes the Most Expensive Star Wars Collectible! Read More -
Aug 28, 2025 Learn About the Tiny Aircraft That Turn Sunlight Into Flight! Read More -
Aug 21, 2025 Learn About The Newly Discovered Species of Early Humans! Read More -
Aug 19, 2025 Old Ironsides: The USS Constitution and the Start of the U.S. Navy Read More -
Aug 14, 2025 Learn About Iron Age Mummy Tattoos! Read More -
Jul 29, 2025 Scientists Discover First Ever Ancient Roman Trilobite! Read More
Cool Things!
Vader’s Lightsaber Becomes the Most Expensive Star Wars Collectible!
Last Thursday, an auction set a new record for Star Wars memorabilia, when a screen-used prop of Darth Vader’s lightsaber sold for over $3.6 million.
Learn About the Tiny Aircraft That Turn Sunlight Into Flight!
Of the five layers of Earth’s atmosphere, the mesosphere (the third layer from Earth’s surface) is a height at which traditional aircraft have, thus far, been unable to reach on their own power. Generally beginning about 154,000 feet above sea level, even the world record for highest aircraft altitude falls about 20,000 feet short. However, a newly developing technology may change this reality, and it involves aircraft that punch high above their weight.
Learn About The Newly Discovered Species of Early Humans!
In studying early human ancestors, known as “hominids,” anthropologists have historically found much wider variations from specimen to specimen than expected, particularly among other paleontological fields. A recent study argues that certain groups of hominid fossils previously thought to be an already discovered species constitute a new one entirely.
Specimen Deep Dives
Old Ironsides: The USS Constitution and the Start of the U.S. Navy
The Hollywood Sign: The Story of a City's Symbol Hollywoodland
Building Disneyland
Long Form Articles
The Artist Behind the Macintosh: Susan Kare and Apple Computers
While the two Steves, Jobs and Wozniak, are the most well known faces behind Apple computers, equally important to the products and culture of the company were those who crafted the experience of using their computers through design. The most notable of these visual architects was Susan Kare, a designer responsible for “humanizing” Macintosh computers.
Can I Lick It? Yes You Can!
Have you ever been unable to tell if a fossil was really a fossil, but you were too embarrassed to admit it? Have you ever wanted to lick a fossil just because, but you didn’t want to risk judgment from your peers? Well, good news! You can kill two birds with one stone! Licking a fossil can actually help you determine if it’s the real deal or just another rock.
Is It Legal To Own a Meteorite: How to Start Your Outer Space Collection!
Meteorites are some of the rarest geological specimens to be found on Earth. Of course, since these stones are not of our world, purchasing them can sometimes be a confusing process. Is it legal to own a meteorite? In short, yes! Read on for help starting your cosmic collection!