A new study shows that the inner core changed shape in just a few decades, challenging previous assumptions and revealing hidden dynamics deep within Earth.

Researchers studying decades of earthquake data say they have found the first evidence that, in addition to spinning backward, Earth’s inner core in changing shape.

USC scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery about the nature of the Earth's enigmatic inner core, revealing for the first time that this 1,500-mile-wide ball of iron and nickel is changing.

The Earth’s inner core is 3,000 miles below the surface and was thought to be a solid sphere held by gravity in the molten outer core. Recent studies show that the inner core’s rotation rate or shape can change over years or decades. This was found through variations in seismic waves from repeated earthquakes.

Earth’s inner core is shifting, slowing, and reshaping. Scientists study its impact on magnetic fields, pole movement, and planetary evolution, revealing hidden Earth processes.

In a nutshell Scientists have discovered that Earth’s inner core isn’t just changing its rotation speed – it’s actually deforming at its surface. This is the first time such structural changes have been observed on human timescales.