Africa Is Splitting Into Two Continents: Here’s How The World Will Look Soon

Africa is splitting into two continents: Here’s how the world will look soon

by More M.

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It seems like Africa is about to go through a “rebirth” of a monumental transformation. We are aware of tectonic plates, how they are formed and how they have an effect on the natural land; therefore, something similar is happening in one of the world’s most admired continents. The East African Rift System is at the centre of this change, a vast network of faults and fissures that is rapidly changing the geology of the area.

The future is being shaped by the Rift Valley

Scientists are learning unexpected facts about the future of the process of tectonic plate separation, which is happening more quickly than previously believed. However, the entire extent of its influence on Africa’s ecosystems and terrain is even more astounding. Is this new ocean’s timeline closer than anticipated? Well, it looks like what was supposed to take millions of years might take just a million or less, researchers expressed.

This phenomenon is driven by the East African Rift System (EARS). The African Plate is slowly separating into the Somali and Nubian Plates at this tectonic rift, which spans thousands of kilometres. Widening cracks in Ethiopia and Kenya have been noted by scientists as outward signs of this significant change. Even while the process is extremely sluggish in a human timeframe, it has the potential to create a new ocean within the next five to ten million years.

Similar to the formation of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden millions of years ago, geological evidence indicates that this divide is more than just a curious phenomenon; rather, it represents a fundamental rearrangement of the Earth’s surface. This is not a new concept; for years now the earth has been known for splitting and rebirthing new land. We just did not see it happen to Africa this soon, though.

What this signifies for the geography of the Earth

When a new ocean eventually forms, the world’s geography will be drastically changed, and the eastern part of Africa will become a remote continent similar to Madagascar. With the ability to influence regional climates and open up new trade routes, this new body of water will have geopolitical, environmental, and economic ramifications.

Geologists liken the process to the historic supercontinent Pangaea’s breakup. By changing continents over millions of years, such tectonic shifts serve as a reminder of Earth’s dynamic nature. The division also calls into question how local ecosystems and human populations will adjust to these significant shifts. A huge gap is forming in East Africa as a result of the African and Somali plates moving at a rate of about 0.8 centimetres per year.

Geographical changes include the division of the African continent and the formation of new coastlines. Economic Implications: Previously landlocked nations now have more trade options. The establishment of marine habitats in recently formed ocean basins is one example of an ecosystem shift. Infrastructure Challenges: Coastal infrastructure and land management need to be adjusted.

Proof that nature is already advancing

One of the pieces of evidence that nature is advancing and moving forward and not waiting for anyone is the split’s timeline. They lowered the timeframe to roughly 1 million years, or even half that, according to Cynthia Ebinger, a geoscientist from Tulane University. Another advancement feature is the emergence of wide cracks in areas like Ethiopia’s Afar Triangle, which is one of the most obvious indications of this division.

An unexpected, multikilometer fracture that appeared in Kenya in 2018 alarmed residents and sparked scientific curiosity. Even today, tectonic plate movement is continuous and detectable, according to satellite imagery and GPS tracking. East Africa’s newly formed ocean is a stark reminder of how dynamic the planet is and how it transforms at its own time.