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Mysterious Mantle Blob Reshaping Appalachian Mountains, Heading Towards New York
8 Aug
Summary
- Giant hot rock blob 124 miles beneath Appalachians, moving towards New York
- Blob linked to Greenland-North America separation 80 million years ago
- Blob may have uplifted Appalachians, but mountains will erode as it moves away
According to new research published in July 2025, a giant blob of incredibly hot rock lies about 124 miles beneath the Appalachian Mountains in New England. This "Northern Appalachian Anomaly" measures between 217 and 249 miles wide and is located in the semi-molten asthenosphere layer of the Earth's upper mantle.
The researchers believe this thermal anomaly is linked to the separation of Greenland and North America around 80 million years ago. At a rate of 12.4 miles per million years, the blob has migrated about 1,800 kilometers from its point of origin near the Labrador Sea. This slow-moving mantle wave may have contributed to uplifting the ancient Appalachian Mountains over the past few million years.
However, the researchers predict that as the hot rock blob continues its journey towards New York over the next 15 million years, the crust beneath the Appalachians will likely settle and stabilize. Without the underlying support, the mountains are expected to gradually erode and lower in elevation through natural processes. While the movement of the anomaly won't impact human infrastructure, it provides new insights into the deep geological forces shaping the northeastern United States.
