Is Earth's core 'leaking'? Scientists discover mystery elements in 62mn-year-old lava

Scientists have been baffled after discovering mysterious elements in ancient lava which led to the conclusion that the core of the Earth is leaking.

A study was carried out on a 62-million-year-old lava which flows on Baffin Island in Canada's Arctic Archipelago. In the study, it was found that the lava contains unusually high levels of helium-3, which is a rare isotope and is related to the core of our planet.

The findings of the study were published in the journal Nature on Wednesday (Oct 18) and since then, the discovery led to massive debates among experts and fellow researchers.

The readings were collected from the ancient lava which flows in Baffin Island by the combined team of geochemists from the California Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

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The large landmass has the highest ratios of helium-4, and helium-3 as well as a third isotope that has always been present in terrestrial volcanic rocks. It was noted by the research team that it is a big discovery to find such high levels of helium-3 at a terrestrial site. Helium-3, due to its nature, is a very rare element.

As soon as this element reaches the surface, it escapes into the atmosphere and slowly disappears into space. If it is discovered on the surface, the chances are high that it came out of the Earth's core.

If the helium-3 has flown from the Earth's core then the other material around it should also be present to give physical examples of core material.

The findings, which have surfaced recently, could challenge the initial theories about the Earth's core, which was believed to be sealed away.

If it is proved that the Earth's core is indeed leaking, it will pave a path for scientists to study the core material of the Earth, which has never happened before.

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Helium-3 containing secrets about the formation of Earth?

This primordial helium-3 is likely to contain secrets about how our planet was formed which cannot be known in any other way.

“We know very little about Earth's core, other than that it exists,” said Forrest Horton, a geochemist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, while speaking to VICE.

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“This makes studying the core both intriguing and frustrating. Traditionally, the core and outer layers of our planet (mantle and crust) were presumed to be geochemically isolated (i.e., material does not transfer back and forth),” he added.

"Increasingly, scientists have been challenging this notion,” Horton said. He further stated that the "exciting" discovery suggests that the Earth's core is more dynamic than what was believed.

(With inputs from agencies)

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