Real-Time Ocean Floor Birth Captured for First Time

In situ seismogeodesy—seafloor sensors paired with geodetic positioning—caught a spreading event unfolding on 29 April 2025 during R/V Atlantis Expedition AT50-36. A Nature paper published today reports local spreading rates of 61 mm/year (magnetic data) and 63 mm/year (space geodesy), bridging methods that typically span vastly different timescales. The convergence closes decades of measurement gaps and represents a watershed moment for seafloor observatory technology.