NEARLY two kilometres inside the surface of the Pacific Ocean, molten magma from the Earth's mantle wells up. This process is taking place along the Juan de Fuca Ridge, which is pushing even the Pacific plate apart from the Juan de Fuca plate. The rate at which the plate is being pushed is almost similar to the growth rate of a human fingernail.

Scientists say that cracks are formed in the sea floor. And in this process, sea water just above freezing point enters the cracks and seeps deep into the Earth's interior. Once the water reaches the interior, it heats up to 400