A team of geologists from 12 countries concluded a two-month expedition for deep-sea drilling. The results led the discussion about the Earth’s past to a new level. It turns out that even 60 million years ago the planet was much more land than water, but after ten million years, there have been some “dramatic disasters.” And now 94% of the former majestic continent Zealand hidden under the waters of the Pacific ocean.
Geologists took samples of the underwater soil at six different sites, with depths up to 1250 m. In the raised cores were thousands of items, which indicate that 60 million years ago this area was certainly land,-and in the highlands. Summarizing the data, the scientists concluded: 80 million years ago a huge land mass called Zealand broke away from Australia and Antarctica became a separate continent.
Then, between 40 and 50 million years ago, in the field current of the Pacific ocean there have been some terrible events that led to the appearance of the pond, plus ring of Fire on its perimeter. Was it seismic activity, catastrophic volcanic eruption, the abrupt change of climate or something else – scientists are just trying to understand. Due to recent discoveries of the past climatic and geological model of the Eocene had to throw it away and build a new one, which was annoying, frightening and inspiring at the same time.
Perhaps eight continents not the limit? In the cores from the depths of the drowned Zealand found so many remains of microorganisms, spores and pollen, that there are strong reasons to believe – in those days Land was not a blue planet, and green. Shallow sea and lots and lots of sushi with a soft and warm climate, densely populated by different living beings. Alas, most of the evidence for the theory now rests on the seabed and mine them will not be easy.
Source — National Science Foundation