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Turns out, Earth's inner core isn't just a solid ball of nickel and iron but consists of two layers.

Researchers have confirmed the existence of this innermost inner core using a unique type of seismic wave that travels through and bounces back and forth within the Earth's interior, providing valuable data about the core's structure.

By analyzing seismic waves from earthquakes of magnitude 6 or larger that occurred over the past decade, the scientists identified 16 events with waves bouncing through the inner core multiple times.

Seismic data revealed that this inner heart is approximately 600 kilometers across, about half the diameter of the full inner core. Understanding the core is essential because it generates Earth's magnetic field, which protects us from solar particles and radiation. Earth’s core, which is about 6,600 kilometers across, consists of a liquid outer core and a solid inner core.

As iron-rich fluid cools and crystallizes in the outer core, it forms a solid center, generating a magnetic field.

The exact origins and timing of the core's formation remain uncertain, but it plays a crucial role in Earth's history. The core's magnetic field has likely undergone numerous pole reversals over the planet's lifespan. Seismic data suggests the presence of a hidden heart in the innermost core, potentially a long-preserved remnant of the core's early formation.

Image: Drew Whitehouse, Son Phạm and Hrvoje Tkalčić

CERN discovers antihyperhelium-4, the heaviest antimatter particle to date.

Scientists at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider have discovered the heaviest antimatter particle ever observed: antihyperhelium-4.

This exotic particle, the antimatter counterpart of hyperhelium-4, contains two antiprotons, an antineutron, and an antilambda particle. The breakthrough offers insights into the extreme conditions of the early universe and sheds light on the baryon asymmetry problem — why our universe is dominated by matter despite matter and antimatter being created in equal amounts during the Big Bang.

The discovery was made using lead-ion collisions at the LHC, recreating the hyper-hot environment of the newborn universe. Machine learning models analyzed the data, identifying antihyperhelium-4 particles and precisely measuring their masses.

While the experiment confirmed that matter and antimatter are created in equal portions, the mystery of what tipped the cosmic balance remains unsolved. With ongoing upgrades to the LHC, more groundbreaking discoveries in antimatter research could be on the horizon.

Learn more: https://home.cern/news/news/physics/alice-finds-first-ever-evidence-antimatter-partner-hyperhelium-4