Map of Earth's principal tectonic plates. Earth's lithosphere. Major and minor plates. arrows indicate direction of movement at plate boundaries. Vector illustration. Billions of years ago, Earth's ...

Once inside the oceanic mantle, bits of continents become part of the magma factory that powers ocean volcanoes.

Scientists have uncovered a hidden geological process where fragments of continents are slowly stripped from below and swept deep into the oceanic mantle, sparking volcanic activity in unexpected ...

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 ...

Researchers have examined tiny time capsules found in the oldest-known crystals in an attempt to settle a question that divides scientists: when did Earth’s tectonic plates begin to move? Plate ...

In the heart of Asia, deep underground, two huge tectonic plates are crashing into each other — a violent but slow-motion bout of geological bumper cars that over time has sculpted the soaring ...

Researchers discovered that continents don’t just split at the surface—they also peel from below, feeding volcanic activity in the oceans. Simulations reveal that slow mantle waves strip continental ...

The tectonic plates are famous for their scientific theory, which made the Earth what it is now, and Harvard University researchers gathered up information to pinpoint exactly how long it has been ...

The Earth with the upper mantle revealed. Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have discovered a previously unknown layer of partly molten rock in a key region just below the tectonic ...

Tectonic plates are constantly in motion — shaping continents, forming mountains, and triggering earthquakes. But what if ...

Experiments carried out at Oxford University have revealed that tectonic plates are weaker than previously thought. The finding explains an ambiguity in lab work that led scientists to believe these ...

WHAT CAN WE do — is there anything we can do — to shift the gridlock in our society related to seemingly intractable positions? On Feb. 12, I attended a program of the Pacific Northwest Interfaith ...