I have a hard time with the generally excepted scientific model of the earth.

Spoiler for Largish Image:


Basically, it's super hot and full of lava. Of course, it can be broken down and all.

-Crust
-Upper Mantle
-Mantle
-Outer core
-Inner core

Quote Originally Posted by Wikipedia
In the mantle, temperatures range between 500 to 900 °C (932 to 1,652 °F) at the upper boundary with the crust to over 4,000 °C (7,230 °F) at the boundary with the core.
Needless to say, it can get EXTREMELY hot.

And, the crust of the earth takes up less than 1% of earth's total volume!! I'm a having a little trouble here believing that it can be SOOOOO hot only a couple dozen miles below my feet, and that the ocean doesn't boil, or it doesn't stay warm in the Winter.

Of course, I don't know much about it. Has there been any definite proof for all the layers below the earth? Has there ever been a successful drilling into the mantle?

I've always enjoyed Jules Vernes rendition of the earth and it's core, and am writing a book that takes place below the surface, so I've always fancied the thought that there could be life below. Albeit, a very unrealistic model. I just want to know how it's possible to have such a hot planet with such a cool surface and ocean on top.