Pangea Ultima — Super Continent Already Forming

Table of Contents

∘ 50 million years from now

∘ 100 million years later

∘ 250 million years later

∘ Conclusion

In the early Solar System, the Earth formed much sooner than we previously thought. According to a new analysis of iron isotopes found in meteorites, most of the Earth came together 5 million years ago. This is a much shorter time span than previously thought.

This change makes a significant contribution to our current understanding of planet formation, Science Alert reports. It suggests that the mechanisms involved in the formation of planets may be much more diverse than we thought, even among planets of similar types that are close to each other, such as Mars and Earth.

We don't yet have precise information about the formation of planets. Astronomers have a pretty good idea, but it is very difficult to observe it in action. In general terms, the process of planet formation is linked to star formation. Stars form when clouds of gas and dust collapse under their own gravity and start to spin. This causes the surrounding gas and dust to spin, like water spinning around a canal.

As it spins, all the material forms a flat disk that feeds the growing star. But not all of this disk is sucked into the star; what remains is called a pre-planet, and the formation of planets continues. This explains why all the planets in the Solar System are aligned around the Sun.

About 100 million years ago, the plate movements that formed Pangea began to tear it apart. So Pangea began the process of splitting.

A large landmass that would later become Europe, Asia and North America separated from Pangea. Antarctica and Australia stuck together, also broke away and drifted south. A giant landmass that would later become India broke off and moved northward for millions of years, eventually merging with Asia.

Over time, these giant landmasses reached their present locations and formed the continents we know today. If you look carefully, you realize that the continents are actually like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that fit together.

The movement of the plates beneath the continents has not stopped, it continues. So the location of the continents keeps changing.

For example, North America and Europe are moving away from each other at a rate of 2.5 centimetres a year.

So what do you think these drifting continents will look like years from now?

50 million years from now

In 50 million years, the Atlantic Ocean will expand, pushing New York further away from North Africa (New York and Morocco used to be next to each other).

Meanwhile, in the southern hemisphere, Australia will crash into southeast Asia.

In Europe, Africa will move north, blocking the Mediterranean Sea. where Italy and Greece are located, a mountain range as high as the Himalayas, known as the Mediterranean Mountains, will form. (Istanbul will be wiped off the face of the earth.) It will stretch from Spain through southern Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

100 million years later

100 million years from now, the power of continental motion will render the Earth unrecognizable.

The Atlantic will continue to expand, but along the western coastline, an area of sediment will form. the first sign of this can be seen in the Puerto Rico Trench in the Caribbean.

The trench will extend north and south towards the east coast of North and South America. this huge area of sediment will consume the Atlantic Ocean, driving Europe and Africa towards the Americas.

250 million years later

250 million years from now, when intergalactic explorers return to their homeland, they will find a different planet from the one they have recorded. those of us living now will be nothing more than fossils. there will no longer be 7 continents, but 1 large landmass where most of the world’s landmasses are gathered: Pangea Ultima.

Explorers will search for the remains of our cities, but when Europe and America collide, all the countries along the coastline will slowly disappear.

Conclusion

According to scientists, in 250 million years, the continents will come together again to form a supercontinent like Pangea.

That’s why in about 250 million years, the Earth will look very different than it does now.

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