, June 28 -- Scientists have proposed a new explanation for what fuels the Yellowstone supervolcano, challenging the long-held belief that it is fed by a deep plume of molten rock rising from Earth's interior.

A new study published in the journal 'Science' suggests that Yellowstone's magma is instead supplied by a broad underground flow of hot rock, described as a "mantle wind," moving through the upper mantle beneath North America.

Supervolcanoes are capable of producing the largest volcanic eruptions on Earth, releasing more than 1,000 cubic kilometres of magma, rock and ash. Such eruptions can have far-reaching effects on global climate, ecosystems and human societies, making it important for scientists to understand how these massiv...