'Hidden' 8th Continent Revealed: 'Zealandia' Map Shows Ancient Underwater Volcanic Region the Size of New Zealand

Story by Marissa Papanek • 20h


The "We believe Zealandia is the first of Earth's continents to have its basement, sedimentary basins, and volcanic rocks fully mapped out to the continent-ocean boundary," the researchers wrote in a paper detailing the accomplishment, published in the journal Tectonics in September of 2023.

In a Monday, January 29 report, IFLScience explained why some continents go "missing" only to be rediscovered later: "continental crust tends to float higher on the mantle, which makes up the bulk of the Earth’s interior. Then, through the power of tectonic movement over the years, some landmasses can drop below the surface of the water and therefore off the map." "lost" continent has been mapped for the first time, revealing new insights about the ancient chunk of land, like a massive volcanic region the size of New Zealand.

Scientists say "Zealandia" is the first of the Earth's continents to be entirely mapped, Knewz.com has learned.

The continent is 95% submerged in the ocean, earning it the nickname "the hidden continent" and making it especially challenging to map, according to the researchers who took on the task from the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences Limited, also known as GNS Science, in New Zealand.

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