![]() ![]() The findings of Mercury’s solid inner core, published in AGU’s journal Geophysical Research Letters, help scientists better understand Mercury but also offer clues about how the solar system formed and how rocky planets change over time. Scientists had also wondered whether Mercury might have a solid inner core. This large core - huge compared to the other rocky planets in our solar system - has long been one of the most intriguing mysteries about Mercury. Some scientists compare Mercury to a cannonball because its metal core fills nearly 85 percent of the volume of the planet. Now, in a new study, scientists report evidence that Mercury’s inner core is indeed solid and that it is very nearly the same size as Earth’s solid inner core. Like Earth, Mercury’s outer core is composed of liquid metal, but there have only been hints that Mercury’s innermost core is solid. WASHINGTON-Scientists have long known that Earth and Mercury have metallic cores. An illustration of Mercury’s interior based on new research that shows the planet has a solid inner core. ![]()
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