Xinhua - English

Xinhua - English: "LOS ANGELES, Aug. 25 (Xinhuanet) -- Scientists reported on Thursday that Earth's core rotates faster than its surface by about 0.3 to 0. 5 degree per year and this finding is expected to end a nine-year debate.

The claim that Earth's inner core was getting ahead of itself seemed odd at first. But some computer simulations showed the molten-iron outer core dragging the inner core around by the magnetic field generated in the outer core.

Still, seismologists had problems with measurements of the inner core's excess spin. Now the researchers found persuasive evidence that the inner core really is spinning faster than the rest of the planet.

'Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof,' said Xiaodong Song, a professor of geology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and co-author of a paper to appear in the Aug. 26 issue of the journal Science. 'We believe we have that proof.'"