How do scientists know what the core of the Earth is made of, even though we’ve never drilled anywhere near that deep?

Question

How do scientists know what the core of the Earth is made of, even though we’ve never drilled anywhere near that deep?

In: Planetary Science

Answer 1

Earthquakes and other seismic events echo and refract through the layers of material inside the Earth. By comparing data from multiple seismographs, some close to the epicenter and some far away, and doing some fancy math, you can build up a rough idea about what the different layers inside the Earth are made of.