In the 1970s, scientists proposed a revolutionary idea about how Earth’s extensive interior operates. They suggested it is slowly churning like a lava lamp, with floating blobs rising as plumes of hot mantle rock from near Earth’s core, where rocks are so hot they flow like a liquid. Now, a new study shows that New Zealand sits atop the remains of such an ancient colossal volcanic plume. New Zealand’s Hikurangi Plateau was once a section of a gargantuan volcanic mountain that comprised 1% of Earth’s surface. Researchers don’t know whether this process is still ongoing today, but our new seismic procedure for discovering these superplume remnants may help us find more insights.