The Continental Drift of Earth 🌍

The Continental Drift is the movement of the Earth's continents and tectonic plates.

335 million years ago, today's land masses we know as Australia, Europe, India, Africa, North and South America, as well as New Zealand and other islands, had moved together into one continent, which scientists refer to as Pangaea. 

175 million years ago, Pangaea broke apart into two smaller continents, called Laurasia and Gondwanaland. Gondwanaland was comprised of Africa, Asia, India, Australia, South America and New Zealand. Laurasia was comprised of main continents North America and Europe, as well as many other countries.

Although the continents were one, there were small splits between them. Over time, these splits grew larger and moved across the oceans to form the separate continents we know today. Most of the land masses tilted slightly, such as Australia, India, and Europe. 

45 million years ago, India and Asia collided, the crust of them both lifting, resulting in the Himalayan Mountains being formed. These are also responsible for New Zealand's Southern Alps, as well as many other mountains and volcanoes across the globe. 


Today, the continents are still moving 5-6cm per year.

Scientists have evidence to prove that Pangaea, Gondwanaland, and Laurasia was actually real. There is a theory that Asia and South America fit together perfectly, and there is evidence to suggest this. There were fossils of a certain species of dinosaur found on both continents, impossible to have spread across today's distance between them. Similar occurrences have occurred on many different continents, for example the evolutionary similarities between Australia's Emu, New Zealand's now-extinct Moa, Africa's Ostrich, South America's Cassowary- all large, flightless birds with long legs, necks, small heads and large torsos.