Atlas shivered as he held aloft
the frame he thought once held the weight of Earth.
Not blown away by some drive from Northern
winds, but wasted by the flow of water
Colder than the ice at its poles: Fluid
That flows from inside her. Being in doubt
Of lasting long,Earth spoke of their spirit
Broken by heart-ache at how men fashion change.
"Though my fair skin breaks, damage dives deeper;
Hurts drive down red under my green mantle.
Perforate it with mining things like coal
And mineral wealth, that might have become
My foundation. But by too much pressure
I ooze dirty oil that spilt on beaches
Can not flow as it did, like blood within
My veins. Instead it stains my surface on
Which it hardened. In such ways their abuse
Made for them sweet gold, turn'd sour by its waste.
Men looking deep at my fair form, then find
Beneath that mantle studded with riches
My fluid secret. The sadness of my
Life not lived in fair charity with them.
Inside me is an ocean like those tears
The just lock inside them when greed overtakes
The best of them; whilst worse men grow and thrive.
It is a sea vaster than those that touch
My surface and reflect back light, such that
Bright father Sun thinks himself a lad yet
In grace of his Erde, the name he gave
Me when young too, like to outlast
Those silly humankind, populating
Me of late.
That they would unclothe and would
Rape me, he never knew. Still calls Erde
His vain princess. The reason I secrete
My inward sea is that I will not tell
Those humans that were my dark seas to seek
The light like their surface kind, human
Life would end as the seas overcome the ground
On which humans feel they stand' entitled
To it in their human mind, not knowing
It was my gift. Now they burn me, their waste
Covers me in excremental fluid
In which I choke and will finally die".
This rather disappointing verse will have to do.
I had hoped the news story about the discovery of an internal sea in the dark under the earth’s mantle containing more water than all the external seas of the world, and which, if released, would drown all surface land, would bring forth some worthwhile verse. The story can becread below.
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From: The Weather Channel India Team (2024) ‘Massive Ocean Found 700 Kilometres Beneath Earth’s Surface Changes What We Know About the Origins of Water!’ (04 April, 2024
Imagine an ocean vaster than all the water on Earth’s surface combined hidden 700 kilometres beneath our feet. This is the mind-boggling discovery scientists at Northwestern University have unveiled, shaking our understanding of where Earth’s water comes from.
For years, scientists have debated the origins of Earth’s water. Comets were prime suspects, delivering their icy payloads through impacts, but this new discovery throws a wrench in that theory. Researchers, led by geophysicist Steven Jacobsen, stumbled upon a colossal water reservoir trapped within the Earth’s mantle, a scorching hot layer beneath the crust. This hidden ocean, three times the size of its surface counterparts, is cradled within a mineral called ringwoodite.
Scientists deployed a network of 2,000 seismographs across the US, listening to the whispers of the Earth itself. By analysing the faint tremors from over 500 earthquakes, they noticed a curious slowdown in the seismic waves as they passed through specific regions of the mantle. This slowdown hinted at the presence of water, acting like a sponge within the rock.
This discovery completely rewrites our understanding of Earth’s water cycle. It suggests water isn’t just a surface phenomenon, but potentially exists within the mantle, migrating through cracks and crevices. Jacobsen emphasises the importance of this reservoir, stating, “Without this internal water source, Earth’s surface would likely be a barren landscape, with only mountain peaks peeking out from a vast ocean.”
The implications are far-reaching. Scientists are now eager to gather seismic data worldwide to see if this hidden ocean is a global phenomenon. This could revolutionise our understanding of how water moves within our planet, a fundamental process shaping Earth’s history and potentially influencing the existence of life.
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