(Phys.org)—A trio of researchers with the University of Southampton in the U.K. has used a new technique to gain a better perspective on the thickness of the Earth’s continents. In their paper published in the journal Science, Saikiran Tharimena, Catherine Rychert and Nicholas Harmon describe using seismic reflections associated with surface bounces to gain a better understanding of craton boundaries. Brian Savage with the University of Rhode Island offers a short history of research into the boundaries of the continents in a Perspective piece in the same journal issue, outlines the new effort, and explains how the results fit in with other theories.