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.

New study reveals that Earth's inner core is undergoing unexpected structural changes, challenging long-held assumptions about its solidity.

A new study in Nature Geoscience reveals insights about the Earth’s core. While we often learn about the inner and outer cores, research is ongoing to under

Scientists at the University of Southern California have discovered the Earth's core is changing shape after analysing earthquake data.

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.

Earth’s core is located below the middle layer called the mantle and the outer layer –or crust. It consists of two main parts–a liquid outer core and a more solid inner core. The outer layer is made of liquid iron-nickel and is responsible for producing Earth’s magnetic field.

Scientists found that the inner core’s structure changes as it rotates. It deforms at its border, potentially accumulating more material in some areas and less in others — almost like creating hills and valleys.

New research suggests that Earth's inner core, long believed to be stable, may be undergoing structural changes, including a possible shift in shape, shedding light on the mysteries beneath the planet

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.