Earth's mantle may hold water 2,900 kilometers below the surface

New scientific research suggests that water may exist nearly 2,900 kilometers below the Earth's surface, reaching the boundary of the Earth's core. This discovery indicates that water reserves may be stored within the deep mantle, though not in a liquid state.

Instead of liquid oceans, water is held within the crystalline structures of minerals. By replicating the extreme pressure and temperatures of the lower mantle using lasers and diamond anvil cells, researchers identified two new iron oxyhydroxide minerals, designated as Fe₅O₁₂Hₓ and Fe₇O₁₂Hₓ. These minerals are capable of binding hydrogen and remaining stable at the intense temperatures found near the core, where other water-bearing minerals typically lose stability.