Rethinking the Birth of Our Planet
Earth may have originated as a hydrogen-rich ionized gas giant rather than through gradual rock accumulation. This revolutionary theory suggests our planet retains primordial hydrogen from its formation, continuously influencing geological processes and potentially offering vast untapped resources
This paradigm-shifting perspective challenges conventional wisdom about Earth's formation and evolution, reinvigorating scientific inquiry into our planet's mysterious past. Conceiving Earth as initially hydrogen-rich opens remarkable avenues for understanding its 4.5-billion-year development. By investigating deep degassing processes, scientists are uncovering how our dynamic planet continues its geological transformation even today
A Different Origin Story
Conventional textbooks describe Earth forming gradually as dust and rock accumulated within the swirling protoplanetary disk surrounding our nascent Sun. In this standard model, small rocks progressively clumped together until a planet emerged. Fred Hoyle's theory however presents a dramatically different narrative. Rather than assembling from scattered rocky debris, Earth is proposed to have originated within a massive hydrogen-rich "gas giant" environment — similar to what we observe today with Jupiter and Saturn
Recent Kepler space telescope has revealed stunning images of protoplanetary disks — the swirling clouds of gas and dust encircling young stars that eventually form planetary systems. These observations provide compelling visual evidence supporting the revolutionary theory first proposed by astronomer Fred Hoyle in the 1940s
Hoyle theorized that terrestrial planets didn't simply accumulate from scattered debris, but instead coalesced within the dense, hydrogen-dominated atmospheres of primordial gas giants. According to this alternative model, early Earth was encased within an enormous envelope of hydrogen and helium under extraordinary pressure and temperature condition
When the young Sun entered its volatile T Tauri phase, powerful solar winds stripped away these outer gaseous layers, leaving behind only the dense, metal-rich core with lots of hydrogen dissolved in it — the foundation of our planet. This formation process would have infused Earth with abundant hydrogen, a characteristic with profound implications for our planet's geological evolution, atmospheric composition, and potential as a source of clean, renewable energy and feedstock for many industries
This alternative origin story fundamentally challenges established theories. It reframes Earth not as an inert collection of depleted minerals, but as a dynamic system still responding to processes set in motion billions of years ago—processes that may harbor significant untapped energy resources waiting to be discovered
In this compelling scenario, the proto-Earth developed within a hydrogen-helium envelope of immense pressure. These extreme conditions compressed the planetary material into an incredibly dense, energetically charged core. As the violent solar winds of our young Sun's T Tauri phase dispersed the gaseous outer layers, only this condensed core remained—our Earth, forever bearing the chemical and geological signatures of its hydrogen-rich origins
Why This Matters
Embracing this revolutionary perspective transforms our understanding of Earth from a static body to a dynamic, hydrogen-influenced system. It suggests our planet contains primordial hydrogen reserves deep within its structure in the form of metal hydrides with hydrogen slowly emitted by metal hydrides to the surface of the planet — a feature with far-reaching implications for geology, climate science and sustainable energy development. For those focused on economics and policy, this paradigm shift reveals Earth not as a finite storehouse of depleted resources but as an evolving system with potentially vast, untapped hydrogen reserves that could revolutionize global energy markets and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon future
The Engine Within — Deep Degassing
Deep degassing is Earth's process of releasing hydrogen and other gases from its interior, occurring in powerful episodic bursts that reshape our planet's surface. This phenomenon drives volcanic activity, continental movement and climate shifts while potentially offering untapped renewable energy sources
These deep hydrogen reserves could offer a renewable and abundant energy source that has the potential to play a crucial role in the future energy landscape. Furthermore, understanding the deep degassing process sheds light on how hydrogen has influenced Earth's evolution over billions of years, shaping its unique features, hydrosphere and atmosphere. The exploration of deep-sitted hydrogen has the potential to open new scientific insights and technological advancements that could revolutionize the way we view and utilize our planet's resources
What Is Deep Degassing?
After Earth's hydrogen envelope dissipated, our planet didn't simply fall dormant. Instead, a dynamic process called deep degassing began. Deep degassing is the gradual release of gases — primarily hydrogen and other light elements — from Earth's interior, through astenosphere (boarder layer between metal silicate mantle layer and silicate crust) to its surface. Far from being a gentle seep, this process often occurs in powerful bursts with dramatic consequences, including potential reactions with and depletion of the ozone layer, as documented in Syvorotkin's groundbreaking research
How Does It Work?
Deep within Earth's mantle and core, hydrogen remains trapped in metal hydrides and dissolved in metal silicates. Over millions of years, this hydrogen migrates upward through cracks, faults and volcanic channels. Unlike the steady, continuous motion proposed in conventional models, degassing tends to be episodic — creating sudden pressure increases that can trigger volcanic eruptions or form new fissures in the planet's crust
Why Deep Degassing Is a Game-Changer
Scientists Larin and Syvorotkin propose that deep degassing serves as the primary driving force behind many of Earth's dynamic processes. Volcanic activity, continental movement, and even significant climate shifts can be triggered by these powerful bursts of internal gas pressure. For non-specialists, this phenomenon resembles Earth's "breathing" — sometimes manifesting as deep, powerful exhalations that continuously reshape our planet's surface
This degassing process is crucial to understanding Earth's history. Periodic releases of gases from the planet's interior have profoundly influenced the formation and evolution of its outer layers—the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere. By studying deep degassing, scientists can reconstruct a more accurate picture of Earth's development since its formation
Furthermore, comprehending these degassing mechanisms may illuminate our planet's future trajectory. These internal gas flows could play a vital role in humanity's exploration of hydrogen energy and other resources essential for sustainable development. Thus, Earth's deep degassing represents not only a fascinating scientific concept but also holds significant practical implications for our collective future
Implications for Society
The concept of deep degassing can be understood through familiar everyday analogies. Much like a pressure cooker releases steam in controlled bursts, Earth discharges its internal energy and gases through powerful surges. Recognizing these patterns could enhance our ability to predict natural disasters, understand long-term climate patterns, and identify new energy sources
From an economic perspective, actively degassing regions present both challenges and opportunities, potentially hosting untapped natural hydrogen deposits that could serve as clean fuel. These locations might be ideal for establishing highly efficient, large-scale industrial facilities powered by what appears to be an almost limitless source of energy and feedstock for many industrial processes
An Expanding Planet and a Cracked Crust
Earth's expansion theory suggests our planet has grown larger over time as hydrogen pressure was released from its core, causing the crust to crack and creating oceans, mountains and continental drift. This alternative to traditional plate tectonics offers new perspectives on Earth's formation and resource distribution
Beyond Plate Tectonics
Most people learn that Earth's continents drift because of moving plates — a process known as plate tectonics. While this model explains many features of the Earth's surface, Larin's work suggests an additional factor: Earth itself has expanded over time
How Earth Could Expand
According to Larin, early Earth was much smaller because it was squeezed by a heavy hydrogen envelope. Once that envelope was lost, the internal pressure (and the ongoing release of hydrogen) allowed Earth to expand. This expansion wasn't smooth; as the planet grew, its crust began to crack and split apart, while oceans filled the space between them. Water was produced slowly from hydrogen oxidation reaction
The Consequences of Expansion
Imagine inflating a balloon: as the balloon grows, the surface stretches and may eventually tear in places. Similarly, as Earth expanded, its rigid outer shell cracked. These cracks gave birth to rift valleys, ocean basins, and even the large-scale rearrangements of continents. This process is an alternative explanation to the more commonly taught plate tectonics theory. Instead of relying solely on lateral movements of massive plates, Earth's growth creates vertical and radial stresses that lead to dramatic surface changes
Everyday Analogies
To put it simply, consider the process of baking bread. As the dough rises, its surface develops cracks. These cracks aren't random but are a natural consequence of the dough expanding. Earth, in this view, behaves much like rising dough — its surface splitting as it expands from within
Economic and Social Implications
For policymakers and economists, understanding Earth's expansion could revolutionize how we assess risks and opportunities. Regions along these ancient, expanding fault lines might be rich in resources or susceptible to natural hazards. Planning for infrastructure, urban development, and resource extraction may all need to account for these fundamental processes
The Chemistry of Earth's Inner Heat
Earth's internal heat may be primarily generated by chemical reactions involving hydrogen rather than just radioactive decay. This "chemical engine" model offers new perspectives on Earth's dynamics, resource formation, and potential renewable energy sources like natural hydrogenIt may also shed light on the origin and evolution of life on Earth, as the deep chemical processes in the planet's interior could have played a key role in creating favorable conditions for the emergence and development of the biosphere including formation of water in the oceans
Traditional Earth science teaches that the heat inside our planet comes largely from the radioactive decay of elements like uranium and thorium. While these processes certainly play a role, Larin and Syvorotkin offer an additional and perhaps even dominant source of Earth's internal heat: chemical reactions involving hydrogen
Rethinking Earth's Energy Sources
Traditional Earth science teaches that the heat inside our planet comes largely from the radioactive decay of elements like uranium and thorium. While these processes certainly play a role, Larin and Syvorotkin offer an additional and perhaps even dominant source of Earth's internal heat: chemical reactions involving hydrogen
The Role of Hydrogen in Chemical Reactions
Deep within Earth's mantle, hydrogen is not inert. It actively participates in chemical reactions. For example, hydrogen can combine with:
- Oxygen in silicate minerals, altering their structure
- Carbon compounds, producing methane and other hydrocarbons
These reactions and a series of other exothermic reactions in the chain starting from emission of hydrogen from metal hydride decay release energy much like the combustion of fuel. For example reactions of water with metal silicides in the crust with emission of silane (SiH4) which in turn reacts with oxygen can produce enormous amounts of heat melting surrounding compounds an forming hot magma. In other words, the Earth's inner heat may be driven as much by these exothermic reactions as by radioactive decay
Why This Matters
This model suggests that the Earth's internal dynamics are more like a chemical engine rather than a simple heat engine powered solely by decay. In practical terms, this means that the regions where these reactions occur are sites of both high energy and high pressure — key conditions for volcanic activity, quakes and the generation of natural resources
Explaining It Simply
Imagine lighting a campfire. While the fire's heat comes from burning wood, it is the chemical reactions—the oxidation of wood—that produce the heat and light. Deep within the Earth, hydrogen-driven reactions serve a similar role, fueling geologic activity and creating pockets of energy that sometimes burst forth in the form of volcanic eruptions and quakes
Broader Impact
For everyday society, this theory suggests that our planet's energy is both dynamic and renewable. It opens up the possibility that, just as a fire can be stoked to keep burning, the Earth might continually regenerate spots of energy that can be harnessed for human use — especially in the form of natural hydrogen
The Hidden Power of Hydrogen: True Origins of Earth's Earthquakes, Volcanos, Traps and Cataclysms
This theory proposes that Earth's major geological catastrophes — from earthquakes and volcanic eruptions to mass extinctions — may be driven by hydrogen released from the planet's core rather than external forces like meteorites. Hydridic Earth theory suggests that hydrogen degassing is the cause of Earth's evolution and shapes our planet's surface, triggers climate shifts and catastrophes. But at the same time these risks can be mitigated by the humanity massively taping planet's hydrogen resources and taking into account mechanisms of evolution to predict catastrophic and cataclysmic events
Hydrogen and Climate Changes
How Degassing Impacts the Surface
Deep degassing doesn't merely shape the crust — it can trigger profound transformations across the atmosphere and biosphere. Syvorotkin and Larin present compelling evidence that many of Earth's most catastrophic events — mass extinctions, abrupt climate shifts, and dramatic oceanic changes — directly correlate with massive bursts of hydrogen and related gases escaping from the planet's interior.
The Mechanisms Behind Global Catastrophes
When substantial volumes of hydrogen or methane suddenly surge into the atmosphere, they can catalyze dramatic environmental shifts:
- Cooling events may occur when volcanic aerosols block incoming sunlight, creating effects similar to a volcanic winter but potentially more severe and prolonged
- Warming events can develop when greenhouse gases like methane accumulate rapidly, trapping heat in the atmosphere and disrupting established climate patterns
- Ozone depletion often results when reactive gases interact with the protective layer that shields Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation, potentially exposing life to dangerous levels of UV light
Simple Analogies
Imagine a pressure cooker suddenly releasing its built-up steam after hours of cooking. Similarly, Earth occasionally releases its pent-up gases in dramatic bursts. In our planet's case, this "steam" consists of a complex mixture of gases that can dramatically alter atmospheric chemistry, disrupt weather patterns and ultimately reshape the conditions for life on a global scale. These events, though infrequent in human timescales, can rapidly shift the ecological balance, forcing species to adapt quickly, migrate to new habitats or face extinction
Beyond Meteorites — The Hydrogen Hypothesis
For decades the scientific community has attributed the formation of Earth's massive craters to meteorite impacts. However, groundbreaking research by geologists Vladimir Larin and Vladimir Syvorotkin suggests a deeper, more dynamic force at play: deep hydrogen degassing from the Earth's interior
According to their theories, our planet's hydrogen-rich core releases powerful jets of hydrogen gas. As this gas escapes through the crust, it can trigger explosive events with energy levels comparable to nuclear detonations. These eruptions not only explain crater formation but also link to large-scale geological and climatic events — including flood basalts (trap eruptions), glaciation cycles and even mass extinctions like the fall of the dinosaurs
How Deep Hydrogen Creates Cataclysmic Events
Hydrogen Streams as a Geological Force
Larin's model of the primordial hydride Earth describes how hydrogen is trapped under high pressure in the planet's interior. When released, hydrogen:
- Propels through faults and fractures
- Combines with oxygen in explosive reactions
- Creates shockwaves that shatter the crust, leaving behind crater formations
Links to Trap Formations
The release of deep hydrogen correlates with the timing and location of large igneous provinces (LIPs), such as:
Deccan Traps
(about 66 million years ago)
Siberian Traps
(about 252 million years ago)
These provinces mark catastrophic volcanic outpourings, which align with massive hydrogen emissions, explaining the sudden and extensive lava flows
These geologically rapid events have been convincingly linked to Earth's most devastating extinction episodes. For example, the sudden massive flood of molten basalt formed the Siberian Traps, for example, likely destroyed all life in this area and released sufficient quantities of gas to fundamentally alter global climate systems, precipitating the end-Permian extinction — the most severe mass extinction in our planet's history. In this picture you can see how large amounts of hydrogen most likely burst to the surface with chain reactions including silane gas (SiH4) producing enormous amounts of energy and melting large volumes of basalt 252 million years ago
Ice Ages and Climate Change
Syvorotkin highlights how hydrogen outgassing could cool the atmosphere:
- Hydrogen is a highly effective greenhouse gas modifier
- Rapid release of hydrogen into the atmosphere could trigger abrupt global cooling, leading to glaciation
Dinosaur Extinction Reconsidered
While the Chicxulub crater has long been seen as proof of asteroid impact, the hydrogen explosion hypothesis provides a terrestrial cause for this cataclysm. A deep hydrogen eruption would explain the thermal pulse, atmospheric dust, and widespread fires observed in the fossil record.
Famous Craters — Rethinking Their Origins
Craters on Earth and other planets of solar system were traditionally attributed to meteorites. At the same time all craters are of ideally round form, which cannot be explained by asteroid impacts. Asteroid impact in most cases should have been of elliptic form due to the angle of impact, which is not precisely 90 degrees. Perfect round form of all craters can only be explained by impacts by gases seeping or outbursting from inside of the planet at perfectly vertical angle:
Evidence from Larin's and Syvorotkin's Works
Both Larin and Syvorotkin argue that the Earth's internal hydrogen plays a far greater role in geological processes than previously believed
- Larin's Hydridic Earth Model
Proposes that Earth's original state was hydride-rich and continuous degassing shapes tectonics, magmatism, and crustal dynamics
- Syvorotkin's Degassing Theory
Highlights the role of degassing in creating craters, triggering volcanic activity and influencing the climate
Their models align with observations:
- The absence of clear meteoritic material in many large craters
- Consistent timing of hydrogen releases with major extinction events
- Geochemical anomalies, such as elevated hydrogen isotope levels
Why This Matters Today
Understanding the role of deep hydrogen reshapes how we view Earth's past and opens opportunities for the future:
- Hydrogen reserves deep within the Earth's core could become an inexhaustible sustainable energy source
- Decoding past hydrogen events helps us predict and mitigate future climate risks
- New exploration models for mineral and hydrogen-rich areas
At H2Valley we champion the exploration of natural hydrogen not only as an energy solution but as a key to the mysteries of our planet's dynamic history
Rethink the Past, Power the Future
The hydrogen hypothesis invites us to rethink the story of our planet. For human societies, these catastrophic degassing events present both immediate dangers and long-term challenges. They can severely disrupt food production systems, contaminate or deplete water supplies, and potentially destabilize entire economic frameworks. From a policy perspective, understanding these profound geological processes offers critical insights for developing more comprehensive disaster preparedness strategies, creating climate-resilient infrastructure and establishing early warning systems that could prove essential for human adaptation and survival during periods of rapid environmental change. The more humanity is going to extract and use hydrogen where it is needed, the better it is for the benefit of frequency of catastrophic and cataclysmic weather events
White Hydrogen — The Untapped Fuel of the Future
White hydrogen is a naturally occurring, clean energy resource generated by Earth's core degassing processes. Unlike manufactured hydrogen, it requires minimal processing, making it potentially revolutionary for global energy systems and economies
Discovering Natural Hydrogen
Perhaps the most exciting implication of these theories is the idea that Earth contains abundant, naturally occurring hydrogen. Often referred to as "white hydrogen," this form of hydrogen is not produced by human-made processes but is instead generated by the Earth's ongoing degassing from its metal hydride core
What Is White Hydrogen?
White hydrogen is a form of natural gas that:
- Emerges from deep within the Earth's core
- Is found in regions where degassing is active, such as rift valleys and ancient fault zones
- Is typically very pure and can be harnessed with relatively simple drilling technology
Why It Could Change Everything
Unlike hydrogen produced from fossil fuels (grey hydrogen) or through energy-intensive processes like electrolysis (green hydrogen), white hydrogen is essentially "free" in the sense that it requires minimal processing. It is a clean, renewable resource that could serve as a major source energy and feedstock for the future. Its availability could:
- Lower energy costs
- Reduce dependence on fossil fuels
- Accelerate the transition to a carbon-neutral economy
Explaining in Everyday Terms
Imagine discovering that a natural spring of water, perfectly clean and abundant, flows right under your backyard. This is similar to white hydrogen — a resource that, if properly tapped, could provide an endless supply of clean energy without the environmental drawbacks of traditional fuels
Global and Economic Impact
For countries and economies, the discovery and development of white hydrogen could transform energy policy and geopolitics. Regions rich in natural hydrogen might become energy exporters and entire industries could shift toward this sustainable resource, making it a cornerstone of future economic development
Rethinking Oil and Gas — an Abiogenic Perspective
The abiogenic theory suggests that oil and gas may form from non-biological processes deep within Earth rather than from decayed organic matter. This challenges conventional wisdom and could revolutionize how we understand hydrocarbon resources, where we find them, and their potential renewability
Challenging Traditional Views on Hydrocarbons
In the conventional view, oil and natural gas are formed from the decay of ancient organic matter — plants and animals that were buried and transformed over millions of years. However, both Larin and Syvorotkin propose that a significant portion of hydrocarbons may actually be abiogenic, meaning they are formed by non-biological processes deep within the Earth. The same hypothesis was suggested by famous chemist Dmitriy Mendeleev
How Abiogenic Hydrocarbons Form
Under the influence of high pressures, hydrogen can react with carbon in ways that produce hydrocarbons such as methane, ethane, and even more complex oil-like substances. This process can occur in regions where the deep Earth's chemical environment is dominated by hydrogen and other reducing gases
What This Means for Resource Exploration
If hydrocarbons are partly abiogenic, then:
- Oil and gas reserves might be found in unexpected locations — areas that do not fit the typical sedimentary basin model at extreme depths where hydrocarbons cannot exist according to conventional biogenic theory — 10-12 km deep
- Some fields could potentially replenish themselves over geological time
- Our understanding of global energy resources may need to be revised, offering new opportunities for exploration
A Simple Analogy
Think of it like this: instead of oil being the remains of ancient biological "junk," it might be more like a natural, ongoing "factory" inside the Earth that continuously produces fuel through chemical reactions. This idea could explain why some oil fields appear to be more resilient than others, and why new discoveries sometimes occur where traditional theories would predict nothing
Beyond Convection — A New Look at Earth's Interior
This new theory challenges the traditional convection model of Earth's interior, proposing instead that heat and materials move through localized vertical channels created by escaping gases, with significant implications for our understanding of seismic activity and energy production
Reexamining the Conventional Model
Traditional Earth science holds that heat and material in the mantle move in large, slow convective currents — much like boiling water in a pot. However, the works of Larin and Syvorotkin cast doubt on this picture. They argue that the physical properties of the mantle — its density, viscosity, and the scale of temperature differences — make large-scale convection unlikely
An Alternative Model
Instead, they propose that the transfer of heat and materials in the Earth occurs through localized, vertical channels created by the pressure of escaping gases. Rather than a smooth, continuous circulation, the process is more like a series of bursts or pulses:
- Localized areas where gases force their way upward
- Zones of rapid, episodic movement rather than a steady flow
- A mechanism that better accounts for observed volcanic hotspots and regions of active degassing
Making It Understandable
Imagine trying to stir a thick soup with clumps in it. Instead of the soup moving in smooth, predictable currents, it shifts in patches as some parts suddenly release steam and bubbles. This is a better description of what might be happening deep within the Earth, according to these theories
Implications for Science and Society
This rethinking of Earth's interior means that our models for seismic activity, volcanic eruptions and even geothermal energy must be updated. For planners and engineers, it means that areas of intense degassing might be both risks for natural hazards and opportunities for energy production
Life, Evolution and Deep Earth Processes
Hydrogen may have played a critical role in Earth's evolution, not only shaping the planet's structure but potentially catalyzing the emergence of life itself through chemical processes at hydrothermal vents, highlighting the profound connection between Earth's geological and biological systems.
The Role of Hydrogen in the Origin of Life
Beyond shaping the planet's physical structure, hydrogen might also have been crucial for the emergence of water and life. Many scientists today believe that life on Earth began near deep-sea hydrothermal vents — areas where hydrogen-rich fluids create strong chemical gradients that can drive complex chemistry. Besides, primordial hydrogen degassing was the origin of water as the main substance stimulating evolution of life on Earth.
Hydrogen was also a cause of many large-scale catastrophes on our planet including extintion of dinosaurs.
A Chemical Cradle for Life
In this model:
- The early Earth, with its hydrogen-rich atmosphere and active degassing, provided the perfect environment for simple chemical compounds to combine and evolve into the first forms of life
- The energy from hydrogen-driven reactions could have powered the synthesis of amino acids, nucleotides, and eventually more complex biological molecules
- Life, once started, might have adapted to take advantage of the ongoing flux of hydrogen and other gases from below
Why it Matters to Everyone
Even if you are not a scientist, the idea that life is intimately connected to the Earth's internal processes is both fascinating and humbling. It suggests that our planet's deep interior has not only shaped its surface but also paved the way for life itself. This connection can also inform our approach to environmental stewardship and sustainability, as it underscores the interconnectedness of geological and biological systems