Taller than Mount Everest: Scientists discover the Earth’s largest mountains, but no one could ever see them

Hidden deep inside the Earth, far beyond the reach of human exploration, scientists have revealed the existence of colossal mountain-like structures that make Mount Everest look tiny in comparison. A recent study published in Nature unveiled these formations, buried nearly 1,200 miles beneath our feet, known as Large Low Shear Velocity Provinces (LLSVPs). Each is thousands of kilometres wide and rises to heights more than 100 times greater than Everest. Unlike the peaks that crown our planet’s surface, these hidden giants remain forever invisible, locked away in the depths of the Earth’s mantle. Their discovery is reshaping our understanding of how the planet formed and how it continues to evolve. The discovery of these gigantic structures is the result of decades of seismic research. After powerful earthquakes, Earth vibrates like a struck bell, sending waves rippling through the planet’s interior. By carefully studying how these seismic waves slow down, deflect, or change speed, researchers have mapped out anomalies beneath Africa and the Pacific Ocean. These anomalies, now recognized as LLSVPs, are immense, chemically distinct regions of the mantle. Instead of being made of rock like mountains on the surface, LLSVPs are vast, dense reservoirs of ancient material. Some theories suggest they are remnants of old oceanic plates that were swallowed by the planet billions of years ago. Others propose they date back to Earth’s earliest history, possibly linked to the processes that shaped continents and oceans. What is certain is that they have been stable for an unimaginably long time, surviving deep in the mantle as anchors of Earth’s internal dynamics. Their sheer scale is staggering, with each stretching across thousands of kilometres and towering far beyond anything visible on the surface. Though humans will never see them, these buried mountains play an active role in shaping the world above. Scientists believe LLSVPs are connected to volcanic hotspots such as Hawaii and Iceland, where plumes of molten rock rise from deep within the Earth. They may also influence the movement of tectonic plates and the breakup of supercontinents over geological time. In other words, the continents we live on, the volcanoes that erupt, and the earthquakes that shake our cities may all be indirectly shaped by these unseen giants. This new 3D model of Earth’s interior offers more than just a glimpse into the past. It also provides clues about the future. Understanding how heat and material move through the mantle can help predict long-term geological processes that influence climate, ocean chemistry, and even the conditions for life. Mount Everest may still stand as the tallest point humans can climb, but beneath the surface, Earth’s real giants continue their silent work, hidden but essential to the planet’s survival.