A steady underground pulse has been detected beneath the Afar region of Ethiopia, where researchers believe a new ocean is gradually forming. The rhythmic movement was detected in a geological hotspot known as the Afar Triple Junction, where three giant sections of the Earth’s crust are slowly pulling apart.
As the plates drift in different directions, the ground in the area is thinning, and scientists predict that this stretch of land will submerge below sea level, allowing seawater to rush in and eventually form a new ocean basin connected to the Red Sea.
To better understand the forces behind this process, researchers collected 130 samples from Afar and analyzed their composition. The data revealed a dynamic underground layer with pulses of molten material that carry distinct chemical signatures. These pulses appear to be influenced by surface changes, such as the way the crust is thinner or pulling apart faster in areas like the Red Sea.
The repeating patterns found across the region suggest a pulsing motion, likened to a heartbeat, and point to a plume of hot material pushing up from deep within the Earth. This discovery challenges the long-held view that deep Earth activity is a one-way force and instead suggests that it can respond to surface conditions.
Future studies aim to better understand how quickly this material moves and how it helps shape the surface of our planet, providing new insights into the connection between the Earth’s interior and events like volcanoes, earthquakes, and continental breakup.
Source: https://greekreporter.com/2025/06/26/pulse-beneath-africa-new-ocean-forms