A new study challenges the long-held belief that the Earth's mantle, the layer of solid rock beneath the crust, flows as a single convecting layer. Instead, the study suggests that the mantle is more complex and may consist of multiple distinct layers, each flowing independently.

The study, conducted by an international team of geophysicists and published in the journal *Nature*, used seismic data to create a detailed map of the mantle's movements. The results showed that the mantle is not a simple, convecting layer, but rather a complex system of multiple layers, each with its own circulation pattern.

"We did not expect to find this high degree of complexity," said lead author Zhifeng He, a geophysicist at Peking University in China. "The traditional view of the mantle as a simple, well-mixed layer is no longer tenable."

The findings have implications for our understanding of how the Earth's interior works. The mantle is responsible for driving the Earth's tectonic plates, which move around the surface of the planet and cause earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The new study suggests that these processes may be more complex than previously thought.

"This study opens up a new chapter in our understanding of the Earth's interior," said co-author Richard Allen, a geophysicist at the University of Cambridge in England. "We are now beginning to see a more detailed picture of how the mantle works, and this is going to help us to better understand the Earth's dynamics."

The research team plans to conduct further studies to investigate the details of the mantle's movements and how they contribute to the Earth's geological processes.