Scientists have discovered a new layer of partly molten rock under the Earth’s crust that might help settle a long-standing debate about how tectonic plates move. Researchers had previously identified patches of melt at a similar depth. But a new study led by The University of Texas at Austin revealed for the first time the… Continue Reading Scientists Detect Molten Rock Layer Hidden Under Earth’s Tectonic Plates
UT Graduate Student Research Solves Plate Tectonics Mystery
The longstanding enigma of how tectonic plates can break Earth’s rock-hard shell may have been solved by a recent graduate student at The University of Texas at Austin who caught the Earth in the act of starting a new tectonic conveyor belt off the coast of New Zealand. The world’s tectonic conveyor belts – called… Continue Reading UT Graduate Student Research Solves Plate Tectonics Mystery
Fate of Sinking Tectonic Plates is Revealed
Our world’s surface is a jumble of jostling tectonic plates, with new ones emerging as others are pulled under. The ongoing cycle keeps our continents in motion and drives life on Earth. But what happens when a plate disappears into the planet’s interior? The question has long puzzled scientists because conventional wisdom said that sinking… Continue Reading Fate of Sinking Tectonic Plates is Revealed
Scientists Find Eternal Nile To Be More Ancient Than Previously Thought
Ancient Egyptians considered the Nile river to be the source of all life. The steady northward path of the river has nourished the fertile valleys of northeast Africa for millions of years and in doing so, shaped the course of human civilization. The Nile’s unchanging path, however, has been a geologic mystery because long-lived rivers… Continue Reading Scientists Find Eternal Nile To Be More Ancient Than Previously Thought
The PLATES Symposium: 30 Years of PLATES
View the PLATES Symposium photo album (Facebook) The PLATES program has marked a key milestone in the study of plate tectonics by holding a symposium to celebrate 30 years of PLATES at the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics (UTIG). The symposium, held March 25-26, brought together colleagues from across the world to reflect on… Continue Reading The PLATES Symposium: 30 Years of PLATES