Geologists discover tectonic plate’s slippery underbelly
Dynamite blasts divulge runny layer roughly 100 kilometers below surface
![Tectonic plate diagram](https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/ts_plate_cutaway.png?fit=860%2C460&ssl=1)
SLIP ‘N SLIDE A layer of slippery, partially melted rock (red) may separate the Pacific tectonic plate from the underlying mantle, reducing the amount of force required to shift the massive plate, new seismic research suggests.
Tim Stern