A groundbreaking new study has suggested that the Earth’s inner core may have stopped turning and could even be going into reverse.
The study, conducted by a team of international scientists and published in the journal Nature Geoscience, suggests that the inner core of the Earth is slowing down and could even be reversing its direction of rotation.
The inner core is the solid innermost layer of the Earth, located at the center of the planet and made up of iron and nickel. It is estimated to be about 2,400 kilometers in diameter and is believed to be the source of the Earth’s magnetic field.
The researchers used seismic data to measure the speed of the inner core’s rotation and found that it had slowed down significantly over the past few decades. This could mean that the inner core is no longer turning in the same direction, and might even be going into reverse.
The implications of this are huge, as it could have a major impact on the Earth’s climate and weather patterns. It could also affect the length of the day, as the slowing of the inner core could lead to a lengthening of the day.
The researchers caution that more research is needed to better understand the implications of the inner core’s slowing down and possible reversal.