Earth's Core May Hold 45 Oceans' Worth of Hydrogen, Study Finds
New research suggests that Earth's core may harbor an enormous reservoir of hydrogen, potentially equivalent to 45 times the volume of water in all the world's oceans. This discovery significantly alters scientists' understanding of the planet's deep interior and the processes that shaped it during formation billions of years ago.
The finding has implications for models of planetary formation and the distribution of light elements within terrestrial bodies. Understanding how hydrogen became trapped in Earth's core could shed light on the conditions present during the early solar system and may influence theories about how other rocky planets formed and evolved. The research adds to growing evidence that Earth's interior is far more chemically complex than previously understood.
The finding has implications for models of planetary formation and the distribution of light elements within terrestrial bodies. Understanding how hydrogen became trapped in Earth's core could shed light on the conditions present during the early solar system and may influence theories about how other rocky planets formed and evolved. The research adds to growing evidence that Earth's interior is far more chemically complex than previously understood.