Scientists Uncover Evidence of 'Greater Gondwana,' a Supercontinent Covering 80% of Earth's Crust
Researchers from Curtin University have published findings in Science Advances revealing that the ancient supercontinent Gondwana was significantly larger than previously understood, potentially encompassing 80% of Earth's continental crust. By analyzing over 25,000 isotopic measurements, scientists mapped previously unrecognized fragments of ancient Gondwanan crust buried beneath younger mountain belts in Asia, Europe, and North America. This new reconstruction, termed 'Greater Gondwana,' addresses a long-standing debate about whether Gondwana met the size criteria to be classified as a true supercontinent. The study indicates that enormous pieces of this ancient landmass, which originally included Africa, South America, Antarctica, Australia, and India, have been hidden due to subsequent plate tectonic activity, stretching, detaching, and colliding with other landmasses. The isotopic analysis allowed researchers to 'see through' younger surface rocks to investigate the deeper, older continental foundatio...
