New scientific models mapping the Earth’s tectonic plates could help to sharpen our collective understanding of natural disasters like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, scientists have said. The ...

The Earth is made of different layers: the core, mantle and crust. Plate tectonic theory shows that the crust of the Earth is split into plates (pieces of the Earth’s crust). The movement of these ...

Scientists have identified a long-lost tectonic plate in the west Pacific Ocean. Called Pontus, the 'mega-plate' was once 15 million square miles, about a quarter the size of the Pacific Ocean today.