Scientists Discover Mysterious 'Sunken Worlds' Deep Within Earth's Mantle

A groundbreaking study has revealed the existence of potential "sunken worlds" deep within Earth's mantle, challenging current geological understandings. Conducted by researchers from ETH Zurich, the study utilized a new seismographic imaging method called full-waveform inversion, which allows for clearer mappings of the Earth's interior.

Traditionally, seismographs have identified subducted slabs—sections of ancient crust pulled into the mantle during tectonic activity. However, this new research disclosed numerous anomalies in locations where no known tectonic activity currently exists, such as the western Pacific Ocean. This raises questions about how these materials ended up in such unexpected places.

Researchers believe these anomalies could be remnants from the Earth's formation or some unknown dense materials accumulated over millions of years. "With the new high-resolution model, we can see such anomalies everywhere in the Earth's mantle, but we don't know exactly what they are," explained Thomas Schouten, a doctoral candidate at ETH Zurich.

To achieve these findings, researchers utilized comprehensive data processed on the Piz Daint supercomputer in Switzerland, enabling them to create a single, clear image of the Earth's interior. This work highlights the evolving nature of geological research and could lead to deeper insights into Earth's history and structure.

Further studies are planned to understand the material properties behind these speed anomalies and to establish whether they are indeed associated with the subducted slabs previously identified.