Scientists Just Found Earth’s Largest Underground Ocean

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1:04If you drank one bottle a day, it would take you around 444 billion years to finish your stock. No wonder this underground aquifer discovery is so awesome! The Cascade mountain range, which contains the largest aquifer on Earth, stretches about 700 miles from Northern California to British Columbia. The high Cascades in Oregon have younger volcanic rocks, around 8 million years old. The Western Cascades are much older, 45 million years. They boast deep canyons and valleys. Scientists study the transition zone between these two areas to understand how water moved through volcanic rock and how volcanic processes had evolved over time. In the process, researchers measured rock temperatures at different depths. That's when the underground aquifer discovery happened. Normally, deeper rocks should be hotter because it's closer to the Earth's interior. But to everyone's surprise, in several areas,

2:06the temperature stayed the same even at greater depths. Well, this was a strong clue that water was flowing through the rock and cooling it down. In other words, the Cascades function like a natural water tower, storing and slowly releasing water into rivers and streams. These geological water findings are important for two main reasons. First, it's our potential water source for the future. Such a massive amount of water stored underground could be an important resource. So far, we don't know how long it will remain in its current state and how resilient it's going to be to changes. So, we need more research to properly manage its use. Secondly, it affects volcanic activity. When water seeps deep underground and reaches magma, it instantly turns into steam, creating extreme pressure that can trigger explosive volcanic eruptions. Understanding how much Introducing Shark Facial Proglow, a first of its kind at home facial.

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4:16Like, how does this water move through the volcanic rock? Or how much of it is actually usable as a water resource? Since this underground reservoir depends on rain and snow, a series of dry years could cause big problems for both water supply and volcanic stability. Researchers are now working to understand the full impact of the Cascades volcanic water reservoir and how to manage it responsibly. But let's look closely at the geological wonder that is the Cascade Range. Picture this. A massive mountain range stretching all the way from Northern California up to British Columbia, cutting right through the middle of Oregon. That's the mountain range we're talking about. In Oregon alone, it's about 260 miles long and up to 90 miles wide, covering 17,000 square miles. Whoa, that's bigger than each of the nine smallest U.S. states. The coolest thing is that the Oregon part of this mountain range is basically built by volcanoes,

5:18and apparently contains at least one volcanic rock water storage. The range itself exists because of something called the Cascadia Subduction Zone, where the Wanda Fuca tectonic plate, a chunk of Earth's crust under the Pacific Ocean, is slowly getting shoved beneath North America. As it sinks, the intense heat and pressure force water out of the oceanic rock. It lowers the melting point of the surrounding mantle and creates magma. That magma rises up and fuels the Cascade Volcanoes. This is part of the ring of fire, the giant belt of volcanoes circling the Pacific. So, in a way, the Cascades are part of a much bigger volcanic system that's constantly shifting and changing. The Oregon Cascades are actually made up of two completely different zones. The western Cascades and the high Cascades, and they look nothing alike. The western Cascades are the older part. They formed around 45 million years ago.

6:22These mountains are rugged and deeply carved up by rivers. Some Kenyans are as deep as 3,700 feet. This part of the range used to be volcanically active, but over time, erosion has taken over, reshaping the land. The high Cascades, on the other hand, are much younger and way less eroded. Around 8 million years ago, the volcanic activity shifted and new eruptions filled in old Kenyans smoothing out the landscape. Eruptions kept piling up fresh lava and rivers in this region didn't have as much time to create deep valleys like they did in the western Cascades. That's why, if you look at the two regions side by side, one looks jagged and carved up, while the other looks smoother and more built up. This episode is brought to you by Peloton. Break through the busiest time of year with the brand new Peloton cross-training tread plus, powered by Peloton IQ. With real-time guidance and endless ways to move, you can personalize your workouts and train

7:25with confidence, helping you reach your goals in less time. Let yourself run, lift, sculpt, push, and go. Explore the new Peloton cross-training tread plus at 1peloton.com. Some of Oregon's most famous volcanoes are located in the high Cascades. I'm talking about Mount Hood, Mount Jefferson, the three sisters, and Crater Lake, which actually formed when Mount Mazama erupted and collapsed in on itself. Unlike smaller volcanoes that pop up, erupt for a bit and disappear over a few months or years, these giant volcanic centers have been active for thousands of years, and because they've been around for so long, they have way more complex magma systems. They produce everything from basalt, which is a runny, fast-moving lava, to andesite, dacite, and ryalite. And ryalite is the type of magma that leads to huge explosive eruptions. So while some of these volcanoes might just ooze lava, others have the potential for devastating blasts.

8:32Another amazing thing about these long-lived volcanoes is that their underground magma chambers stay hot for a really long time. That's why the Cascades are one of the best places to tap into geothermal energy. There's a ton of heat just sitting beneath the surface, waiting to be used. Oh, and don't forget about the Cascades volcanic water reservoir. Who knows how we will use it in the future? Now, we already know that the Cascades are part of the magnificent Ring of Fire, Earth's most explosive zone. Imagine a massive horse shoe-shaped belt wrapping around the Pacific Ocean, stretching for about 25,000 miles. It's one of the most geologically active areas on the planet. This is where Earth's tectonic plates are constantly shifting, colliding, and grinding against each other, creating some of the world's most powerful earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and deep ocean trenches. The Ring of Fire follows the meeting points of multiple tectonic plates,

9:35and they all surround the giant Pacific Plate. These plates aren't just sitting still. They're always on the move, pushing against or sliding beneath each other at their boundaries, known as fault lines. When this happens, you get everything from deep sea trenches to towering volcanoes and violent earthquakes. One of the most extreme examples of this activity is the Mariana Trench, located east of Guam. At seven miles deep, it's the deepest ocean trench on Earth. It was formed by a process called subduction, where one tectonic plate is forced beneath another, sinking deep into the Earth's mantle. The Mariana Trench is one of the most mysterious places on Earth. It's insanely deep, with crushing pressure and total darkness, so for a long time, people thought nothing could live down there, but it turned out that life existed even at the very bottom. In 2005, scientists found a tiny single-celled organism in the Challenger Deep,

10:39the deepest part of the Mariana Trench. They also came across colorful rocky formations and weird sea cucumbers. The Mariana Trench also has hydrothermal vents, which are basically underwater hot springs. Even though the water there is super hot and acidic, strange creatures and microscopic lifeforms still manage to survive there. The ring of fire is also responsible for 90% of the world's earthquakes. Some of the most powerful quakes in history have happened here, including the 1960 Valdevia earthquake in Chile, the strongest ever recorded, which hit a mind-boggling 9.5 on the Richter scale. But it's not just about earthquakes. The ring of fire is also home to about 75% of the planet's volcanoes. Some of the most famous eruptions in history have come from this region, like the infamous Mount Tambora in Indonesia. In short, the ring of fire is one of the most

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