Earth "retreats into itself": a rare geophysical phenomenon discovered in the USA

American geophysicists have recorded a unique process in the central part of the USA, where the lithosphere - the Earth's outer solid shell - is literally sinking into the mantle. This phenomenon has been named lithospheric dripping and represents one of the deep mysteries of our planet, capable of revealing the secrets of its evolution.

🧭 We're talking about cratons - the oldest and most stable sections of the Earth's crust that serve as the "skeleton" of continents. These have become the arena for geophysical activity: in the depths beneath the craton, molten masses begin to accumulate, heating the lower layers of the crust and causing its partial melting.

🔥 Over time, droplet-like structures of molten rocks form in the thickness of the Earth's crust. These heavy formations separate from the crust and begin to descend into the mantle, like a drop in a viscous liquid. Despite the apparent scale, the process occurs slowly and without destructive consequences.

🌋 Similar phenomena are observed in other parts of the world - in particular, on the Anatolian plateau in Turkey and in the Andes of South America. There, lithospheric dripping affects the shape of the terrain, changing mountain structures and confirming the activity of the planet's internal processes.

🧠 According to lead researcher Thorsten Becker, studying lithospheric dripping provides a key to understanding the processes of formation, development, and disintegration of continents. This allows scientists to model Earth's tectonic future and more accurately predict its geological behavior.

🌐 In total, 35 cratons are known on the planet, and each of them represents a kind of "window" into Earth's deep geological history. New data is already helping to rewrite scientific understanding of how our planet is structured and develops from within.