> Researchers have discovered that the underside of the North American continent is dripping away in blobs of rock — and that the remnants of a tectonic plate sinking in the Earth’s mantle may be the reason why.
Really appreciate the first sentence of the article having a pithy summary of what the whole thing is all about.
Yes, thesis statements are very useful, especially in the Internet age when we are overloaded with potentially interesting things to read. Unless I already believe you have something essential, I generally won't follow you on your mystery tour.
Maybe that reduces audience engagement time.