A previously unknown layer of partially molten rock has been detected beneath Earth’s crust. The discovery could help scientists learn more about the motions of Earth’s tectonic plates.

By Ashley Strickland, CNN Researchers have detected a previously unknown layer of partially molten rock beneath Earth’s crust. The discovery could help scientists learn more about the movements ...

Researchers have detected a previously unknown layer of partially molten rock beneath Earth's crust. The discovery could help scientists learn more about the movements of Earth's tectonic plates ...

Researchers have detected a previously unknown layer of partially molten rock beneath Earth's crust. The discovery could help scientists learn more about the movements of Earth's tectonic plates ...

The discovery of this hidden molten rock layer shows that molten rocks have nothing to do with tectonic plate movements, which cause earthquakes. The Earth with the upper mantle revealed.

Missing layers . Though the Great Unconformity is defined by the absence of rock, its age is known from the age of the rock layers above and below the gap.