The potential for bridgmanite megacrysts to drive magma ocean segregation

Nature, Published online: 21 January 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-10063-5

Large-scale molecular dynamics simulations show that the crystal–melt interfacial energies of MgSiO3 bridgmanite increase substantially with pressure, potentially forming unusually large bridgmanite crystals and suggesting a new physical mechanism driving magma ocean segregation.