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Molten Rock May Create New Ocean in Ethiopia

6/28/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Beneath Ethiopia's Afar region, molten rock pulses are stirring tectonic activity that may soon carve out a new ocean, according to researchers from the University of Southampton. Their groundbreaking study, published in Nature Geoscience, uncovers how these mantle plumes are reshaping the landscape, igniting volcanic eruptions, and pushing continents apart.

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Story summary

Beneath Ethiopia's Afar region, molten rock pulses are stirring tectonic activity that may soon carve out a new ocean, according to researchers from the University of Southampton. Their groundbreaking study, published in Nature Geoscience, uncovers how these mantle plumes are reshaping the landscape, igniting volcanic eruptions, and pushing continents apart.