A new study of decades worth of seismogram data shows that the surface of Earth’s iron and nickel core is more malleable than scientists thought.

Scientists of course cannot cut into Earth and directly observe its insides. Instead, their knowledge is inferred from the vibrations generated by earthquakes that pass through the planet. The speed and the direction of the seismic vibrations change depending on the density and the elasticity of the rocks.

Researchers found evidence that the Earth's inner core is changing shape, suggesting unseen processes affecting its movement over time.

The surface of the Earth's inner core may be changing, as shown by a new study by USC scientists that detected structural changes near the planet's center, published in Nature Geoscience.

Earth’s inner core is changing shape, scientists have found.

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.

However, researchers from the University of Southern Carolina (USC) now say they discovered — almost by accident — that the Earth's inner core may be much more malleable. John

Not only is Earth’s inner core spinning and growing, but it’s also changing shape, according to new research. Our planet’s […]