Bermuda's Secret: A Giant Rock Raft Keeping the Island Afloat

Bermuda is a puzzle. It's an island that shouldn't be there.

Normally, when volcanoes stop erupting, the land sinks. But not Bermuda.

It's been over 30 million years since its volcanoes last erupted, yet it's still standing tall.

The Secret Beneath Bermuda

Scientists have found a secret beneath Bermuda. They discovered a huge layer of rock, 12.4 miles thick, under the oceanic crust.

This is not normal. Usually, there's just the mantle under the crust. But in Bermuda, there's an extra layer.

It's like a raft, holding the island up.

This raft is made of less dense rock. It's not clear how it got there.

Maybe magma got stuck under the crust and froze.
Or maybe hot material cracked the crust, let seawater in, and changed the mantle.

Whatever happened, it's keeping Bermuda from sinking.

Bermuda is special. It sits on an oceanic swell, rising high above the seafloor.

This is unusual. The island is in an area that was once the heart of the last supercontinent.

Maybe that's why it's unique.

Scientists are still studying Bermuda. They want to know if other islands have similar layers.

Understanding Bermuda can help us understand other places on Earth.

It's a window into extreme processes that shape our planet.