The USSR’s Kola Superdeep Borehole project, initiated in the 1970s, reached a depth of 12.2 kilometers—about one-third of Earth’s crust—over 20 years. This ambitious endeavor uncovered ancient fossils and unexpected water deposits but ultimately faced limitations due to extreme heat and pressure, causing the borehole to collapse before reaching deeper layers.
Related Posts
How forests lost 8,000 years of stored carbon in a few generations – animated maps reveal climate lessons for tree-planting projects today
Trees like these near Traverse City, Michigan, remove carbon dioxide from the air and lock it away. Owen…
What caused Morocco’s earthquake? A geologist studying the Atlas mountains explains
Jesús Galindo-Zaldivar, Universidad de Granada The epicentre of Morocco’s devastating earthquake on 8 September was in the High…
Study Uncovers Earth’s Inner Core Slowing Down, Backtracking
At a Glance Recent research by scientists at the University of Southern California (USC) has unveiled a significant…
Where does lightning strike? New maps pinpoint 36.8 million yearly ground strike points in unprecedented detail
Lightning strikes near St. George, Utah. jerbarber/iStock/Getty Images Plus Chris Vagasky, University of Wisconsin-Madison It’s been a warm…