• News
    • Tech News
    • AI
  • Gadgets
    • Apple
    • iPhone
  • Gaming
    • Playstation
    • Xbox
  • Science
    • News
    • Space
  • Streaming
    • Netflix
  • Vehicles
    • Car News
  • Social Media
    • WhatsApp
    • YouTube
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
TikTok
Snapchat
WhatsApp
Submit Your Content
Strange rock formations beneath the Pacific Ocean could change our understanding of the early Earth

Home> Science> News

Published 10:29 25 Mar 2024 GMT

Strange rock formations beneath the Pacific Ocean could change our understanding of the early Earth

This discovery could teach us a lot about our history.

Prudence Wade

Prudence Wade

It's often thought that we know more about space than we do about the bottom of Earth's deepest oceans, something that's been underlined by an exciting new discovery.

Scientists have unveiled a new theory about how our planet went from a ball of molten magma to one with landmasses and oceans.

The start of the question involves a chunk of land in South Africa that has baffled researchers for ages, called the Barberton Greenstone Belt. This area of land contains layers of rock beds that don't match up to what research surveyors think should be there.

Marieke Peche / Getty
Marieke Peche / Getty

Advert

Specifically, the rock bed contains elements from ancient seafloor areas that simply shouldn't be there, if our understanding of how landmasses formed is correct.

The basic theory is that the Earth was roiling and almost liquid in its infancy, which meant that tectonic plates didn't form until later, and earthquakes didn't happen as there was no mass to shake.

Instead, though, this team of researchers from the Victoria University of Wellington think that there were tectonic plates, or at least matter to be shaken, and that the Barberton Greenstone Belt helps prove this.

They made their thesis by comparing the Belt to areas deep on the seafloor near New Zealand which show the signs of significant underwater landslides which jumble up their rock beds. This is known as 'subduction', as one plate slides under the other.

Advert

As it turns out, when a major earthquake hits, it's not just the surface above sea level that is rocked by it - underwater the situation is just as bad, with massive rockslides and upheaval of the seabed.

Samere Fahim Photography / Getty
Samere Fahim Photography / Getty

By contrasting the two environments, the team ultimately concluded that the Belt was a "remnant of a gigantic landslide containing sediments deposited both on land or in very shallow water, jumbled with those that accumulated on the deep seafloor". It wrote about the discovery, and this new theory, in a piece for non-profit media site The Conversation.

This is a bit of a re-ordering of how we've looked at our planet's history, since it busts the assumption that earthquakes didn't play a part in this phase of geological history.

Advert

Similarly, the paper goes on to indicate more possibilities - looking at the likelihood that volcanic activity was also involved at an earlier stage than has often been assumed, thanks to the presence of rare forms of volcanic ash in the Barberton Greenstone Belt.

So, it looks like this one stretch of land has already been able to enlighten us on elements of our planetary history - who knows whether it has further tidbits and revelations to offer up?

Featured Image Credit: kampee patisena/ Roberto Moiola / Sysaworld/ Getty
Science

Advert

Advert

Advert

  • Unexpected structures found deep below Pacific Ocean could change our understanding of Earth
  • Strange 'clicking sound' heard thousands of feet beneath the ocean leaves scientists amazed
  • One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World recovered from ocean floor after 2,000 years
  • ‘Lost City’ discovered deep beneath the ocean holds incredible structures standing 200 feet tall

Choose your content:

21 mins ago
an hour ago
5 hours ago
23 hours ago
  • 21 mins ago

    Ozempic users share shocking ‘Ozempic sex’ side effect that not many people know about

    It's not just your wasitline that could be shrinking

    Science
  • an hour ago

    Solar panels illegal in 49 states could transform energy for the USA

    A YouTuber showed how the solar panels can be plugged into a home outlet

    Science
  • 5 hours ago

    How to set up emergency weather warnings on Android and iPhone following tragic Texas floods

    This comes after a tense questioning of the county sheriff about emergency alerts

    Science
  • 23 hours ago

    Scientists warn hundreds of dormant volcanoes could be on the brink of violent eruption

    It's all thanks to a worrying global trend

    Science