Falling to Earth’s Crushing Core

What would happen if you jumped to the center of the Earth? You’d fall about

1,800 miles (2,900 km) past the crust and mantle before reaching the molten outer core — a sea

of liquid metal generating Earth’s magnetic field, with temperatures starting above 4,500°F

(2,500°C). If you somehow survived that, you’d hit the inner core: a solid ball

of iron and nickel where temperatures climb to roughly 9,800°F (5,400°C), nearly as hot as

the Sun’s surface. But the worst part is the pressure — more than three million times sea-level

pressure, roughly the weight of 48,000 elephants pressing on every square inch of your

body — enough to crush you into a tiny, flattened blob.