Earth’s magnetic field, critical to all life, may be in danger from 'leaking core'

The core is composed of iron and nickel, and elements like platinum, gold, and tungsten. It reaches temperatures of 9,000 Fahrenheit and many believe it’s responsible for up to 50 percent of the volcanic heat released around the planet.

Researchers from French, Canadian, US and Australian universities, found newer mountains and rocks on the Earth’s surface featuring tungsten isotopes which are typically found in the outer core, but no farther up. As a result, the team posits that so-called ‘mantle plumes’ brought core material to the surface. There was no evidence of leaks prior to this recent discovery..

The implications of the research are still unclear. However, we know that the spinning solid part of the core is responsible for the Earth’s magnetosphere which helps protect us from the nastiest particles firing around space. Scientists believe that the liquid part of the core is slowly solidifying..

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