The “world-tilting” event that turned everything upside down during the age of dinosaurs could happen again at any moment due to tectonic activity on Earth.
A new study led by geobiologist Ross N. Mitchell from the California Institute of Technology (USA) reveals that the unexpected tilt of Earth occurred about 84 million years ago, marking the late Cretaceous period – the golden age of dinosaurs.
The Earth may have experienced several short-term tilts – (Photo: NASA).
According to Business Insider, the planet tilted unexpectedly by up to 12 degrees when a large tectonic plate sank, altering the weight distribution of the planet. As many previous studies have shown, the Earth’s crust is actually made up of numerous pieces known as “tectonic plates.” These pieces are in constant motion during the process of “plate tectonics,” causing the Earth’s surface to continually change. Tectonic plates can collide, subduct beneath one another, and consequently, the continents and oceans they carry also undergo constant changes.
The tilt and subsequent straightening of the Earth actually occurred over a period of 79-86 million years ago, which may seem long, but in the context of planetary history, it is merely a blink of an eye. Not the entire globe was displaced: the iron core remained stationary, while the mantle and crust slightly rotated, creating a state of imbalance that disturbed latitudes. One can imagine the magnetic North Pole suddenly shifting from its geographical North Pole position, only to return to its original location.
As the planet rebalances its weight, the mantle and crust immediately rotate back to their previous positions.
According to Nature, the aforementioned tilt was revealed through ancient data, specifically ancient rock formations created by lava cooling at the boundaries of tectonic plates. This type of rock contains magnetic minerals aligned with the direction of Earth’s magnetic poles at the time of solidification, thus clearly recording the changes in the planet’s axis.
Given that tectonic activity on Earth is still ongoing in various forms, scientists believe that similar tilts will continue to occur.
