Planetary Processes Under High Heat

Researchers at Penn State, led by Andrew Smye, have discovered that temperatures above 900°C in Earth’s lower continental crust played a decisive role in stabilizing the planet's continents. Their study, published in Nature Geoscience on October 13, 2025, highlights how early Earth’s intense heat drove the upward movement of radioactive elements crucial for heat generation and long-term continental stability.

Key Mechanism

• Radioactive Heating: Radioactive uranium and thorium generated significant heat in the lower crust.

• Movement: As these elements rose, heat was transferred upward, enabling deeper crustal layers to cool and strengthen.

• Continental Stability: This cooling and strengthening process was critical to the stabilization of Earth’s continents, allowing them to persist for billions of years.