Earth's Pacific side cooling faster than continental side: Study

Technology Dec 11, 2025

Turns out, the Pacific half of our planet is cooling down faster than the land-heavy continental side.
Scientists say it's because the oceanic crust under the Pacific is thinner and younger, so heat escapes more easily compared to the thicker crust beneath continents.

Why this matters for Earth's future

This difference in cooling actually helps drive how tectonic plates move and explains why volcanic activity clusters around places like the Pacific Ring of Fire.
While it doesn't affect our day-to-day weather, understanding these patterns gives scientists a better look at how Earth has changed over time—and what might come next.