Mysterious 'Supercontinents' Inside Earth Challenge Mantle Theory
NewsweekJAN 16
Study Reveals New Details of Giant Underground Mountains That Dwarf Everest
Above: Mount Everest as seen from Kallapattar viewpoint on Oct. 12, 2024, in Gorakshep, Sagarmatha Region, Nepal. Image copyright: Mailee Osten-Tan/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
These ancient structures are crucial for understanding Earth's evolution and current geological processes. The LLSVPs likely influenced volcanic activity worldwide by generating mantle plumes at their edges, which created volcanic hotspots like Hawaii and Iceland. Their existence proves that Earth's internal structure is more complex and stable than previously thought.
Narrative B
The structures could possibly support the theory of a catastrophic collision between Earth and a Mars-sized planet called Theia 4.5B years ago. This alternative origin theory suggests they are actually fragments of an alien world, which could explain their unique composition and resistance to mixing with Earth's mantle.