“Invisible Force Dragging Iraq Down”: Scientists Warn of Unseen Threat Beneath the Middle East That’s Reshaping the Land – The Daily Galaxy –Great Discoveries Channel
Something deep beneath the Zagros Mountains is pulling the land downward, shifting the surface in ways that can’t be seen. Scientists have detected an unusual force at play, but the cause isn’t what you’d expect. The landscape has been slowly warping for millions of years. Now, new research is revealing what’s really happening underground.Deep beneath the Zagros Mountains, an ancient oceanic plate is tearing apart, dragging the Earth’s crust with it. What was once the Neotethys Ocean floor is now sinking into the mantle, reshaping the landscape above in ways imperceptible to the naked eye. A team of international researchers, led by the University of Göttingen, has uncovered the dramatic impact of this subterranean phenomenon, revealing how Earth’s hidden forces sculpt the planet’s surface over millions of years.For millions of years, the Arabian and Eurasian continents have been locked in a slow but relentless collision. The oceanic crust that once separated them has been forced downward, sinking deep into the mantle. But instead of smoothly descending, it is tearing apart horizontally—a rupture stretching from southeast Turkey to northwest Iran.This process doesn’t just affect the deep Earth; it also reshapes the land above. As the Zagros Mountains rise, their immense weight bends the Earth’s surface, forming vast depressions where sediments accumulate. Researchers found that one such depression, reaching depths of 3 to 4 kilometers, cannot be explained by the weight of the mountains alone. Something else is pulling the land downward—and that something is the sinking Neotethys plate.Lead author Dr. Renas Koshnaw, from Göttingen University’s Department of Structural Geology and Geothermics, describes this discovery as unexpected:“Given the moderate topography in the north-western Zagros area, it was surprising to find out that so much sediment has accumulated there. This means the depression of the land is greater than could be caused by the weight of the mountains.”The explanation? The sinking plate, still partially attached to the Arabian plate, is pulling the region downward, creating space for more sediment to collect. But this downward force isn’t uniform. In Turkey, where the plate has already broken off, the depression is much shallower—suggesting that the subterranean force weakening the land’s surface is gradually shifting.This discovery extends far beyond geological theory. Understanding the behavior of sinking oceanic plates has critical implications for:Koshnaw emphasizes that this study offers a new perspective on how the Earth’s outer shell behaves, with profound consequences for the natural world and human societies alike.Though imperceptible on a human timescale, the slow disintegration of the Neotethys plate is a reminder that Earth is constantly reshaping itself from within. From towering mountains to deep sedimentary basins, every landform tells a story of hidden forces at play beneath our feet. As researchers continue to decode these mysteries, the secrets of our planet’s interior are slowly being brought to light—one tectonic shift at a time.This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.Got a reaction? Share your thoughts in the commentsEnjoyed this article? Subscribe to our free newsletter for engaging stories, exclusive content, and the latest news.Comment Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
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