Scripps researchers discover new force driving earth's tectonic plates
Scripps scientists Steve Cande and Dave Stegman have now discovered a new force that drives plate tectonics, plumes of hot magma pushing up from Earth's deep interior, providing evidence that such mantle plume 'hot spots,' which can last for tens of millions of years and are active today at locations such as Hawaii, Iceland and the Galapagos, may work as an additional tectonic driver, along with push-pull forces.