We present an overview of the relation between mantle dynamics and plate tectonics, adopting the perspective that the plates are the surface manifestation, i.e., the top thermal boundary layer, of mantle convection. We review how simple convection pertains to plate formation, regarding the aspect ratio of convection cells; the forces that drive convection; and how internal heating and temperatu...

percutaneous vertebroplasty is a promising therapeutic technique for pain control in patients with pathologic fractures of vertebral bodies. percutaneous vertebroplasty is an appropriate treatment for vertebral pathologic fractures, which is resistant to other usual treatment. it is a useful and only choice in special cases, because of less tissue damage and there is no risk of open surgery and...

Given the enormous number of stars in the universe and the number of confirmed and postulated planets in our galaxy, it is generally agreed that our home planet Earth is not likely to be unique (e.g., Sagan, 1980; Bignami et al., 2005; Hawking and Mlodinow, 2010). But is it? Although the number of known extrasolar planets grows almost by the day, observational bias caused by the technological c...

Silver and Behn (Reports, 4 January 2008, p. 85) proposed that intermittent plate tectonics may resolve a long-standing paradox in Earth's thermal evolution. However, their analysis misses one important term, which subsequently brings their main conclusion into question. In addition, the Phanerozoic eustasy record indicates that the claimed effect of intermittency is probably weak.

Previous modeling of carbonate subduction by high-pressure experimentation has allowed to propose scenarios for bulk carbon return the mantle, but detailed transfer mechanisms have seldom been studied. We monitored carbonate–silicate reactions combining experiments and synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction. Carbonates break down at moderate pressure high temperature CO2 is trapped grain boundarie...