What's stirring 3,000 miles beneath the surface of the Earth?
Earth's core is pretty dynamic. Its spin speeds up and slows down based on how its two primary layers are behaving. As we improve the waveform techniques used to study the deepest layer thousands of feet below the surface, our understanding of it continues to evolve. Now, scientists believe that Earth's inner core might be less solid than we previously thought. The findings are detailed in a study published February 10 in the journal Nature Geoscience and shed light on how topographical changes might be affecting the core's rotation. Get the Popular Science newsletter Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Email address Sign up Thank you! By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Round and round it goes Earth's core is located below the middle layer called the mantle and the outer layer–or crust. It consists of two main parts–a liquid outer core and a more solid inner core. The outer layer is made of liquid iron-nickel and is responsible for producing Earth's magnetic field. The magnetic field and the liquid outer core are further stabilized by the more solid inner section. The inner core is made of solid iron-nickel about 3,000 miles below the surface of the Earth. Scientists believe that the inner core's rotation began to slow down in 2010, but what…