Scientists Discover New Ocean in Africa that Will Divide the Continent

Africa will soon split into two, forming a new ocean between them, according to the journal published by the Geophysical Research Letters. 

It states the new ocean will begin forming at the East African Rift System, a 35-mile-long crack found in the barren lands of Ethiopia in 2005.

Fortunately, you don’t need to worry as it will take millions of years, so nobody would witness it within their lifetimes. 

How did scientists discover the new ocean?

#Viral: There's a new ocean in the making because #Africa is 'splitting' – scientists share details of stunning discovery,https://t.co/33wcJHIj4y

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Scientists found that a new ocean will form in the middle of Africa after examining the East African Rift System (EARS). 

They say the crack is on the borders of three tectonic plates: African, Arabian, and Somali. They have been gradually drifting apart for the past 30 million years.

Christopher Moore, a Ph.D. doctoral student at the University of Leeds, explained the area’s significance for geological research. 

He said, “this is the only place on Earth where you can study how a continental rift becomes an oceanic rift.”

Moore used satellite technology to track volcanic activity in the East African region. 

Moreover, he and his colleagues used GPS instruments to get precise measurements of these land movements.

Ken Macdonald, a marine geophysicist and professor emeritus based at the University of California, also shared more details:

“With GPS measurements, you can measure rates of movement down to a few millimeters per year.”

“As we get more and more measurements from GPS, we can get a much greater sense of what’s going on.”

“The Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea will flood in over the Afar region and into the East African Rift Valley and become a new ocean….”

“… and that part of East Africa will become its own separate small continent,” Macdonald stated. 

As a result, humanity will have two motherlands, and countries like Uganda and Zambia may have separate coastlines in the future.

Believe it or not, the new ocean in Africa does not mark the first time continents tore apart. Around 300 million years ago, we did not even have continents!

Instead, the planet only had one landmass called Pangea. Eventually, it split into the continents we know today. It seems a similar phenomenon is happening in Africa.