Works of fiction such as Jules Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth has suggested the possibility of getting into the center of the planet and even the possibility of life beyond the earth’s crust. From what we know about the features of our planet, and from the technology that is today available to us, such a journey and the existence of life from even the near the center of the earth would not be possible.
The earth has several distinct layers with each layer having its own properties. The outermost layer, the crust, is where, and, as far as we know, the only place where life exists. It is also the thinnest layer of the earth, only reaching 70 km at its thickest. Although life thrives even in the most extreme places on the earth’s crust, there are also places where it is barren. The highest temperature where bacteria could thrive is around 113°C (235°F) and around 50°C (122°F) for any animal (Marianatrench.com, 2003).
The deepest location on the earth’s, the Mariana Trench, is very cold, although there are thermal vents. Even here, life seems to thrive but no human could withstand the pressure and temperature in these depths. Due to the dangers it presented, no humans are sent to explore these depths.
If humans could not even be sent to explore the deepest part of the earth’s crust, how much could it be to send them beneath it? The next layer of the earth, the mantle, composed mainly of free flowing, molten materials. The uppermost level is said to be about 870°C (1600°F), eight times as hot as the warmest temperature in which bacteria could thrive. Certainly, no living creature could thrive in these depths. The mantle’s temperature rises as we go further down, with the lowermost portion reaching up to 3700°C (6700°F). Even creating a vehicle that would be able to bring humans to this depth would not be possible. The most heat tolerant metal, Osmium, would melt at around 2700°C (4892°F), which definitely would not survive the temperature in the mantle.
The center of the earth, the core, is about 7200°C (13000°F), nearly twice as hot as the hottest portion of the mantle. Needless to say, getting there is impossible. The temperature alone could not be withstood by any metal or alloy existing today. Not only would a vehicle to journey to the center of the earth would have to withstand the extreme temperature, but also the pressure presented by nearly 6400 km worth of solid and liquid materials.
References
Marianatrench.com. (2003). “The Mariana Trench – Exploration.” Retrieved Spetember 20, 2008 from http://www.marianatrench.com/mariana_trench-exploration_001.htm
