Why the Earth's surface yo-yos: Dr Mark Hoggard on the flowing mantle
About this episode
Dr. Mark Hoggard discusses the geological processes that cause the Earth's surface to rise and fall, revealing insights into metal deposits and deep Earth dynamics.
The Earth bobs up and down like a yo-yo over geological time, and it's drawn a treasure map of the world's metals... What if the ground beneath your feet has been silently rising and falling for millions of years, driven not by earthquakes but by something churning deep in the mantle? And what if that same invisible process explains where the world's great copper, zinc, and nickel deposits are hiding? Dr Mark Hoggard (ANU and previously of Cambridge, Harvard, Columbia) joins Holly and Anthony for a conversation that will genuinely change how you picture Earth. Starting with a tour of the solar system's rocky planets and ending with a treasure map of Earth's metal deposits, this one covers deep Earth dynamics, dynamic topography, the mystery of the Eastern Highlands, and how the thickness of tectonic plates controls where critical minerals form. "The idea that old rocks in the middle of Australia do nothing for a billion years is not true," Mark says — and by the end of the episode, you'll understand exactly why. Make sure you're following Wonder wherever you get your podcasts — and chuck that notifications bell on! We release a GeoCo News email newsletter. You wouldn't…
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