Lately, it seems like remarkable scientific revelations are popping up almost daily, each one leaving us in awe. Initially, we learned about a frightening black hole aimed directly at our planet.
Following that, scientists discovered a significant gap in the sun and identified a lost continent that had been unaccounted for over 375 years.
Now, there’s growing awareness about an enormous ocean concealed beneath the Earth’s crust. Researchers have found that there is a substantial reservoir of water located 400 miles below the surface, trapped within a mineral called ‘ringwoodite.’
Researchers have found that water exists within mantle rock in a sponge-like form, representing a fourth state of matter that is neither liquid, solid, nor gas. These findings were detailed in a 2014 scientific paper entitled Dehydration Melting at the Top of the Lower Mantle.
Ringwoodite behaves like a sponge, absorbing water due to its unique crystal structure that facilitates the attraction of hydrogen and the retention of water, explained geophysicist Steve Jacobsen, who was involved in the discovery. He noted, This mineral can hold substantial amounts of water under deep mantle conditions.
I believe we are finally uncovering evidence of a global water cycle, which could help clarify the presence of extensive liquid water on our habitable planet’s surface. Researchers have been searching for this elusive deep-seated water for many years.
The findings emerged from studies of seismic activity, where scientists observed shockwaves detected by seismometers beneath Earth’s surface.
This allowed them to conclude that ringwoodite was storing the water. If this rock contains as little as 1 percent water, it would indicate that there is three times more water underground than exists in all the oceans combined.
Additionally, this isn’t the only remarkable discovery made by scientists recently; researchers also identified an entirely new ecosystem while exploring volcanic crust with an underwater robot, demonstrating that nature still holds many secrets waiting to be discovered.