The oceans we see on the surface are just a "drop in the ocean" compared to what lies beneath our feet. Revolutionary scientific research has literally turned our ideas about the origin of life and the evolution of the planet upside down, revealing that the Earth's core is a real cosmic storehouse of hydrogen. And if the calculations are correct, there is "locked up" water down there, the mass of which is equal to an incredible 45 world oceans.
Scientists have long puzzled over the mystery of why the Earth's core is lighter than it should be if it were made of pure iron. Hydrogen has always been the main suspect, but only now experimental evidence confirms this hypothesis. Using laser-heated diamond anvils, the researchers were able to recreate the hellish conditions at the center of the planet - pressures of 111 gigapascals and temperatures reaching a dizzying 4,800 degrees Celsius.
The results are startling, to say the least. Examining the samples with nanotechnology, the team found that the core could contain between 0.07% and 0.36% hydrogen by mass. At first glance, this may sound small, but on the scale of the planet, this means a reservoir that is between 9 and 45 times larger than the entire water mass on the surface.
This discovery deals a serious blow to the popular theory that Earth's water came “from outside”, brought by icy comets and asteroids millions of years after the planet was born. On the contrary - it seems that Earth “gave birth” water itself, capturing hydrogen early in its formation. This primordial reservoir was swallowed by the magma ocean and settled deep within the Earth's interior while the planet was still liquid.
In addition to rewriting the story of our origins, hydrogen in the core is key to understanding the magnetic field that protects us from cosmic radiation. It influences the circulation of materials deep in the mantle and helps explain a number of geophysical anomalies. While scientists will probably never reach these depths physically, this new data gives us the clearest view yet of the "engine" of Earth.