This article was originally published on Sikho.ai. Read the full guide there.
Imagine an ocean three times larger than all the world's oceans combined — completely hidden from view, locked 400 miles underground. This isn't science fiction. It is a remarkable scientific reality that challenges everything we thought we knew about Earth's water.
In our full guide on Sikho.ai, we explore the discovery in depth. Here is the short version.
What Is Ringwoodite?
Ringwoodite is a high-pressure mineral with a captivating blue hue that forms deep within the Earth's mantle at depths between 410 and 660 kilometers. Named after Australian geologist Alfred Ringwood, this mineral has a unique ability that other minerals don't: it can trap enormous amounts of water in its crystal structure.
The water is stored as hydroxide ions inside the crystal lattice. The mineral acts like a cosmic sponge, absorbing water that would otherwise be liquid or gaseous at Earth's surface.
The Discovery That Changed Earth Science
In 2014, scientists confirmed the existence of this hidden ocean from a tiny diamond found in Brazil that contained a ringwoodite inclusion. The diamond had been forced up to the surface by a kimberlite eruption — and inside it was the first-ever terrestrial proof of a phenomenon scientists had theorized about for decades.
The implications are staggering: Earth has a hidden water reservoir bigger than all our surface oceans combined.
Why It Matters
This discovery rewrites our understanding of Earth's water cycle, ocean formation, and the geological processes that shape the planet. The deep water cycle suggests our surface oceans may have come from this inner reservoir over billions of years.
Read the complete deep-dive on Sikho.ai's blog.
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