Map of Earth's underworld shows hidden ‘blobs' blamed for wiping out almost all life & killing the dinosaurs
While an asteroid impact was the main force behind the demise of the dinosaurs, a chain of violent volcanic eruptions that followed the impact is also thought to have played a role.
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Volcanic eruptions can wipe out entire cities - just look at Pompeii - and even wipe out life on Earth.
The source of these Earth-shattering eruptions can be traced back to specific features deep within Earth's underworld, called 'BLOBS', according to a new study.
These so-called 'BLOBS' - which stands for big lower-mantle basal structures - lie thousands of kilometers below Earth's surface.
And they move just like the tectonic plates above them.
There are two giant 'BLOBS' that are both the size of continents hiding under the African and Pacific hemispheres, researchers said.
Volcanologist Annalise Cucchiaro from the University of Wollongong in Australia, discovered these 'BLOBS' with her colleagues.
They say these deep Earth structures have a direct influence on volcanic activity above ground.
Giant volcanic eruptions occur when deep mantle plumes - scorching columns of rock - rise from nearly 3,000 kilometers below the surface.
Analysing three different datasets on large volcanic eruptions that occurred around 300 million years ago, the researchers concluded that the 'BLOBS' are the source of these plumes.
"This work highlights the importance of mantle plumes in acting as 'magma highways' to the surface, creating these giant eruptions," Cucchiaro said in a statement.
World's smallest volcano found by locals after bursting from ground in Peru
"It also shows that these plumes move along with their source, the BLOBS."
Although some mysteries remain - like whether the BLOBS are fixed in place or if they travel across the underworld.
"This research cracks open one of the questions that has long plagued scientists – are the BLOBS stationary or mobile and how do they relate to giant volcanic explosions – so it is a thrill to finally [be able] to unravel these mysteries," added geoscientist Nicholas Flament.
What the new research suggests is that they are part of a dynamic system that has direct repercussions for all living things above ground.
"We used statistics to show that the locations of past giant volcanic eruptions are significantly related to the mantle plumes predicted by our models," Cucchiaro and Flament wrote in The Conversation.
"This is encouraging, as it suggests that the simulations predict mantle plumes in places and at times generally consistent with the geologic record."
With all the devastation volcanic eruptions can cause, it is important to know what causes them to blow.
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