Podcast Summary
Unlocking the complexities of business and the Earth: By focusing on simplicity and using the right tools, we can overcome obstacles and uncover new knowledge in business and scientific exploration.
Simplicity and understanding the complexities of the world around us are key to success, whether it's in business or scientific exploration. Mercury simplifies financial workflows for ambitious companies, while Apple Card offers daily cashback and savings opportunities. Meanwhile, geologist Samantha Hanson studies the Earth's interior, which remains largely unknown despite the planet's crucial role in supporting life. Her journey to Antarctica, one of the most inhospitable places on Earth, led to groundbreaking discoveries that shed light on Earth's geological processes. Despite the challenges, Samantha's determination and the power of technology enabled her to unlock new knowledge. In our own lives, we may feel trapped or limited, but with focus, precision, and the right tools, we can overcome obstacles and uncover hidden gems that enrich our understanding of the world.
Discovering Mysterious Underground Structures in the Earth's Mantle: Scientists found unusual areas called ultra low velocity zones in the Earth's mantle, which dramatically slow down seismic waves and have different characteristics than the surrounding mantle. These structures, shaped like underground mountain ranges, are still a mystery and their exact composition remains unknown.
Seismology, the study of earthquakes and the structure of the Earth, involves recording seismic waves caused by earthquakes or other geological events. These waves provide information about the interior of the Earth, revealing its layered structure. The Earth can be thought of as a layer cake, with the thin crust being the outermost layer, the mantle being much thicker and softer, and the core being the dense, heavy center. However, Samantha's team discovered unusual areas called ultra low velocity zones, which dramatically slow down seismic waves and have different characteristics than the surrounding mantle. These structures, shaped like underground mountain ranges, are still a mystery, and their exact composition remains unknown. They can range from 3 to 25 miles high, with one discovered being five times taller than Mount Everest. These discoveries help scientists better understand the complex inner workings of our planet.
Underground Mountains Discovered: Molten Lakes or Solid Structures?: Scientists uncover mysterious underground formations, questioning their origin and purpose, while Apple Card offers rewards, Team Milk empowers runners, and Bumble simplifies dating.
Scientists have discovered underground mountains, or possible molten lakes, beneath the Earth's surface in various locations, including Antarctica. These discoveries have raised questions about their origin and purpose, with theories suggesting they may form a new layer around the Earth's core. Scientists are still unsure about their composition and formation, leaving many unknowns to be explored. Meanwhile, in a completely different context, Apple Card offers cashback rewards, providing up to 3% daily cash on purchases, making it an attractive option for consumers. Team Milk, on the other hand, supports and empowers female marathon runners, emphasizing the importance of dairy milk in their training and recovery. Bumble, a dating app, aims to make the dating experience easier and safer with new features. And deep within the Earth, there are ongoing debates about whether these underground mountains are molten lakes or solid structures, adding to the scientific community's ongoing quest for knowledge.
Mountains formed from ancient seafloor through subduction: Some mountains are formed from ancient oceanic seafloor that has been subducted deep into the Earth, illustrating the Earth's material recycling and creation process, and providing insights into the Earth's evolution and magnetic field.
The Earth functions as a complex, interconnected system, from the surface to the core. The discussion suggests that some mountains may be formed from ancient oceanic seafloor that has been subducted and traveled deep into the Earth over millions of years. This process, called subduction, illustrates how the Earth recycles materials and creates new ones. Understanding the origins of these mountains can provide valuable insights into the Earth's evolution and the generation of its magnetic field, which protects life on the planet. However, the exact processes and details are still being researched and are not yet definitively proven. The Earth's inner workings remain largely a mystery, and continued exploration and study can help us better understand our world and its future.
Mysteries of the Deep Earth: Undiscovered Geological Processes and Surprises: The deep Earth is full of mysteries, including vast underground mountains and slow-moving areas, large low sheer velocity provinces, and seismic scatters, which challenge our understanding of Earth's structure and require more complex models for explanation.
Earth science, particularly seismology, is still a young and evolving field with many unanswered questions. One intriguing mystery is the existence of underground mountains and slow-moving areas in the Earth's mantle, which could be the result of undiscovered geological processes. These features, such as large low sheer velocity provinces beneath Africa and the Pacific, are vast in size and have the potential to open up new areas of research. Additionally, there are seismic scatters, or blobs of material that cause seismic energy to scatter, adding to the complexity and variability of the deep Earth. As we continue to investigate these phenomena, it's important to move beyond simplified models and start exploring the intricacies of the Earth's structure. The deep Earth is full of surprises, and there's much more to discover. This episode was produced by Manning Wendt, with editing by Brian Resnick, Jorge Juss, Noam Hassenfeld, and Meredith Hoddenott, mixing and sound design by Christian Ayala, music by Noam, and fact checking by Serena Solon.
Bird is the Chosen One: The octopus revealed Bird's special role through keys, plaques, and leading him to the location.
Key takeaway from this episode of Unexplainable is that Bird Pinkerton is the chosen one, as revealed by the messages and actions of the octopus. The octopus left a key in the woods for Bird to find, placed a plaque by his apartment, and brought him to this location to deliver the news. The significance of these events was not immediately clear to Bird, but they were meant to signify his special role. For those who want to delve deeper into the episode, transcripts are available in the show notes. The Unexplainable team also encourages listeners to share their thoughts and ideas, and to leave a review or rating. The podcast, along with all of Vox, is free, but donations from listeners help keep it running. You can make a contribution at vox.com/give. Unexplainable is part of the Vox Media Podcast Network and will return next week with a new episode.
