Scientists find Earth’s mantle beating like a heart, slowly tearing Africa apart

Scientists on alert as Africa on track to tear in two after ‘pulses’ detected

The country where human life is said to have begun may become divided into two land masses.

Deep Pulses Beneath Africa Are Breaking the Continent Apart, Creating a New Ocean

Learn more about the pounding plume of molten rock that’s beneath Ethiopia, forcing its three tectonic plates to separate.

Earth's Mysterious "Heartbeat" Tearing Africa Apart, Forming New Ocean: Study

The study revealed how tectonic plates influence the upward flow of hot material from the deep mantle.

‘Heartbeat’ pulses under Africa will create an ocean

A new ocean is forming in East Africa

But don't expect the continent to tear open for a few million years.

Mantle upwelling at Afar triple junction shaped by overriding plate dynamics

Mantle upwellings drive large-scale surface volcanism and facilitate continental breakup and ocean basin formation. However, the spatial characteristics and internal composition of these upwellings alongside how they are modified by plate tectonics are poorly resolved. Afar, East Africa, is a classic triple junction comprising three rifts at various stages of evolution thought to be underlain by a mantle upwelling or plume, allowing examination …