What will happen if the Earth's core cooled down?
From loss of extreme weather to changes in magnetism, what would be the long-term consequences of the cooling of the Earth's interior?
Asked by: Harry McComish, by Email
The good news is that volcanoes will no longer erupt, and with nothing to power them, the continents will stop drifting, clashing and causing earthquakes. But there’s a downside, too: the Earth’s hot interior recycles the carbon that is essential to life, and also keeps the Earth’s outer core liquid, which is essential for maintaining our planet’s magnetic field. Without that, we’ll be vulnerable to incoming solar and cosmic radiation.
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