Observations about the early formation of Earth may answer an age-old question about why the planet’s mantle is missing some of the matter that should be present. Earth is made from chondrite, very primitive rocks of meteorites that date from the earliest time of the solar system before the Earth was formed. However, scientists have been puzzled why the composition of Earth’s mantle and core differed from that of chondrite. New findings suggest that an ancient magma ocean swirled beneath the Earth’s surface and would account for this discrepancy.

UBC Study May Solve Age-old Mystery of Missing Chemicals From Earth’s Mantle