Earthquakes indicate that the Earth’s core has begun to rotate more slowly

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Measurements of seismic waves traveling through Earth’s inner core suggest that its rotation may be slowing, changing its direction relative to the rest of the planet’s rotation.

Earth January 23, 2023

Written by Leah Crane

Earth’s dense inner iron core may be spinning more slowly than the rest of the planet

Shutterstock/Rost9

Our planet’s solid inner core may be slowing its spin and preparing to switch spin directions relative to the rest of the planet. This appears to be part of a cycle lasting about 60 years in which the core periodically speeds up and slows down again.

Beneath the Earth’s mantle is a churning layer of molten iron and nickel, with a dense inner core of iron kept solid by…

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