Imagine the planet ticking softly beneath your feet—steady, silent, and unknown. Every 26 seconds, the Earth lets out a quiet tremor. It’s a rhythm no one feels, yet it's there—beating beneath oceans and continents alike.
A Signal First Noticed More Than 60 Years Ago
The strange pulse was first spotted in the early 1960s. Geophysicist Jack Oliver, working with older seismic tools, noticed the steady thump. He traced it to the equatorial Atlantic Ocean. The signal seemed to grow stronger in certain seasons. But without modern equipment, the findings remained uncertain.
In 2005, researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder picked up the same signal again. Using newer seismic data, they found it still active. “We saw something strange, consistent, and persistent,” said seismologist Mike Ritzwoller. His team tracked the signal to the Gulf of Guinea, near West Africa. Yet what causes it remains a puzzle.
Ocean Waves or Volcanic Origins?
One popular theory involves ocean waves crashing into land. Some scientists believe the waves hit the continental shelf, sending out vibrations. It’s like tapping one end of a table and feeling it on the other.
Another idea came in 2013 from Chinese scientists. They pointed to volcanic activity near São Tomé Island. This island sits in the Bight of Bonny, close to the pulse’s location. Volcanic forces may be playing a role, but so far, no proof has settled the debate.
Experts across the globe have studied this riddle. Some believe it’s a minor mystery in the wider world of earthquakes. Others are still chasing answers. “We’re still waiting for the fundamental explanation,” Ritzwoller admitted.
A Question That Refuses to Go Away
The pulse is not dangerous, but it won’t go away. It’s steady, reliable, and has never stopped. Seismometers around the world continue to pick it up. Every 26 seconds, the Earth gives a soft signal—like a hidden heartbeat under the sea.
It remains one of science’s quieter mysteries. Hidden in the deep, thumping through time, its purpose is still unknown.
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