Deep Earth Forces Shape Africa's Rift | Science News

Science News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Sep 1, 2026 · 1m

Scientists are unraveling why the East African Rift is stretching not just straight but also sideways—like Silly Putty pulled in two directions. New computer models reveal a massive underground force: the African Superplume, a colossal upwelling of hot rock rising from deep within Earth, pushing crust sideways as it flows north. This deep mantle movement explains the puzzling motion that surface forces alone can’t account for—and seismic wave patterns confirm the rocks are aligned by this hidden flow. It’s a dual-force drama: surface tension pulling apart, and a subterranean giant nudging the…