Scientists find massive hidden rock layer under Bermuda
Scientists just uncovered a giant, 20-kilometer-thick rock layer buried beneath Bermuda's ocean floor, shaking up what we know about how islands like this form.
They spotted it by tracking earthquake waves and realized this unusual layer interrupts the usual path from crust to mantle—hinting that other islands might be hiding similar secrets.
How did they find it?
A team led by William Frazer (Carnegie) and Jeffrey Park (Yale) used seismic data from Bermuda to spot sudden changes deep underground.
This low-density slab actually lifts the seafloor by about 500 meters, helping explain why Bermuda's landscape is so unique.
Ancient volcanoes at work
Researchers think ancient volcanic activity—specifically "underplating," where magma froze into thick slabs around 31 million years ago—is behind this hidden layer.
Plus, chemical clues in Bermuda's rocks back up the idea that these deep processes shaped the island long ago.
Why does it matter?
Published in 2025, this study challenges old ideas about how oceanic swells form.
If more islands have these secret layers, our whole understanding of what's happening beneath Earth's surface could change.