Is Africa fragmenting?
I viewed a quick bit on morning news the other day about massive cracks forming through Africa. It was mentioned that eventually Africa will split and ocean will separate the pieces into new continents.
Is that likely? If so, how long is it likely to take?
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Lol. Guess I don’t have to relearn continents, as I have to keep doing with planets.
My first lessons of the solar system only Saturn had rings, and there was no Pluto, then there was, then it was Pluto but not a planet.
Good to know Africa will stay Africa for at least the rest of my life.
Yes. All continents are probably safely considered fragmenting. Tectonic shifting is constant, and combined with other forces, the Earth’s landscape will never stay the same. At least that’s my understanding…
You may be thinking of this. So yeah, part of Africa will eventually split off from the rest, but that’s going to be like ten million years from now.
As an aside – _ “My first lessons of the solar system only Saturn had rings, and there was no Pluto, then there was, then it was Pluto but not a planet.” _
Uhhh, Pluto was discovered in 1930. How old are you?
As others have answered, plate tectonics are causing some continents to move closer, and others to move further away.
I am not so worried about Africa.
The one to look at is Istanbul Turkey, and the Bosporus Strait. (This is where Asia and Europe meet). Apparently Asia (on the eastern side of the STrait), and Europe (on the west) are slowly but surely moving together. RIght now they are thousands of feet apart (with the Bosporus river in the way), but a couple of million years from now, the gap will have closed. The Black Sea will be cut off from the Mediterranean, and there will be solid land across.
Never a dull moment when it comes to geology.
Africa is splitting apart at about the same rate as fingernail growth. Don’t hold your breath.
@Patty_Melt. Pluto is Mickey Mouses pet. Everybody knows that.
1930? Weird, it sure seems like I remember excitement over the new planet. Maybe it seemed like new news to me as a child, and so I remember it that way.
Even so, during my lifetime there has been back and forth over Pluto.
I’m just glad for the reassurance that Africa is going to stay together for a good long time.
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