About Continent Evolution

The origin of the Earth is still open to much conjecture although the most widely accepted theory is that it was formed from a solar cloud consisting of mainly hydrogen. Under gravitation the cloud condensed and shrank to form our planets orbiting around the Sun. Gravitation forced the lighter elements to the surface of the Earth where they cooled to form a crust while the inner material remained hot and molten. Earth's first rocks formed over 3 500 million years ago but since then the surface has been constantly altered.

Until comparatively recently the view that the primary units of the Earth had remained essentially fixed throughout geological time was regarded as common sense, although the concept of moving continents has been traced back to references in the Bible of a breakup of the land after Noah's floods. The continental drift theory was first developed by Antonio Snider in 1858 but probably the most important single advocate was Alfred Wegener wh, in 1915, published evidence from geology, climatology and biology. His conclusions are very similar to those reached by current research although he was wrong about the speed of breakup.

The measurement of fossil magnetism found in rocks has probably proved the most influential evidence. While originally these drift theories were openly mocked, now they are considered standard doctrine.

Continental Drift

180 million years ago

The original Pangaea (a Greek word meaning "all land") land mass had split into two major continental groups (namely Gondwanaland and Laurasia). The southern group, Gondwanaland, had itself started to bread up, India and Antarctica-Australia becoming isolated. A rift had begun to appear between South America and Africa and, in the East, Africa was closing up the Tethys Sea.

135 million years ago

Both Gondwanaland and Laurasia continued to drift northwards but the widening of the splits in the North Atlantic and Indian Oceans persisted. The South Atlantic rift continued to lengthen an a further perpendicular rift appeared which will eventually separate Greenland from North America. India continues heading towards Asia.

65 million years ago

South America, completely separated from africa, moved quickly north and westwards. Madagascar broke free from Africa but, as yet, there is no sign of the Red Sea Rift which will split Africa from the Arabian Peninsula. The Mediterranean sea is recognizable in the south, Australia is still connected to Antarctica.

Today

India has moved northwards and is colliding with Asia, crumpling up the sediments to form the folded mountain range of the Himalayas. South America has rotated and moved west to connect with North America. Australia has separated from Antarctica.

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