Iceland Plume Discovery Reveals Ancient Volcanic Funnels Across North Atlantic

Cambridge Scientists Discover ‘Funnels’ In Earth’s Crust That Shaped Ancient Volcanic Eruptions

CAMBRIDGE, UK — A groundbreaking study by scientists at Cambridge University has rewritten a chapter of Earth’s volcanic history, revealing how a single, powerful plume of hot rock deep beneath Iceland caused widespread eruptions across the North Atlantic about 60 million years ago. The research suggests that hidden weak zones within the Earth’s plates acted like funnels, directing the plume’s heat and magma over a vast region that included Gree…

Iceland Plume Discovery Reveals Ancient Volcanic Funnels Across North Atlantic

Sixty million years ago, Iceland’s deep plume fueled massive eruptions across the North Atlantic. Cambridge scientists discovered hidden weak zones in Earth’s crust that funneled the plume’s heat, explaining volcanic fields like the Giant’s Causeway. These ancient scars still shape today’s earthquakes and geothermal energy across Britain and Ireland.