A colossal fissure tearing through the southeastern part of Africa has captured the attention of scientists, raising the possibility of the continent splitting into two and the emergence of Earth’s sixth ocean.
The East African Rift System (EARS), first discovered in 2005, is believed to have initiated around 22 million years ago, according to experts. However, recent surges in activity have reignited scientific interest in this geological phenomenon.
Driven by the movement of two tectonic plates – the Somali plate in the east and the Nubian plate in the west – the East African Rift is gradually deepening as these plates drift apart. This process mirrors past geological events, such as the separation of South America and Africa into different continents millions of years ago.
A recent peer-reviewed study published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters details the ongoing split, with the plates separating at a rate of a few millimeters per year.
One of the most intriguing implications of this rift is the potential transformation of landlocked countries like Ethiopia and Uganda into coastal nations, as the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea flood into the East African Rift Valley to form a new ocean. According to Ken Macdonald, a marine geophysicist at the University of California, this region could eventually become a separate small continent.
However, researchers caution that the complete separation of the continent is not expected for another 5 to 10 million years. Nevertheless, the deepening of the fissure and the prospect of a new ocean highlight the dynamic nature of Earth’s geological processes and their profound impact on the planet’s surface and geography.
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