Seismic data suggests vast reserves of water locked in rock hundreds of kilometres down.

The finding, if confirmed, would reshape our understanding of where Earth's water came from — and how much remains hidden.

The water is not liquid but chemically bound within minerals under immense pressure.

Water, all the way down

It is a reminder of how little we know about the planet beneath our feet.

"The deep Earth is the least explored place we know."

Analysts point to a handful of forces driving the story forward:

  • Signatures detected in seismic waves
  • Water bound within dense minerals
  • Implications for the planet's history

Confirming the reservoir will take years of careful modelling.