March 29, 2025 – In a groundbreaking geological discovery, scientists have uncovered a 140-million-year-old lost continent buried beneath Southern Europe. The landmass, known as Greater Adria, was once as large as Greenland but gradually disappeared beneath Earth’s surface due to tectonic shifts.
Researchers from Utrecht University revealed that Greater Adria existed 240 million years ago and began to separate from North Africa over 200 million years ago. Over millions of years, it was pushed beneath the Eurasian plate, with fragments of its crust forming Europe’s mountain ranges, including the Alps, Apennines, Balkans, Greece, and Turkey.
The discovery led by geologist Douwe van Hinsbergen, was published in Gondwana Research. The study explains that while most of Greater Adria sank deep into the Earth’s mantle, its remnants are visible in today’s dramatic European landscapes.
“Forget Atlantis,” van Hinsbergen remarked. “Without realizing it, thousands of tourists walk on the remains of Greater Adria every year.”
Unlike other tectonic regions where landmasses move along clear fault lines, the Mediterranean region is a geological puzzle. The area’s curved, broken, and stacked rock formations made it difficult to trace Greater Adria’s movements. Scientists used seismic data and advanced tectonic mapping to reconstruct its history, revealing that parts of the landmass descended 1,500 kilometers into the Earth’s interior, while others were compressed into mountain belts.
This discovery has profound implications for tectonic science, earthquake prediction, and geological research. The findings offer a deeper understanding of how continents shift, collide, and disappear over millions of years, influencing the formation of mountains, volcanoes, and seismic activity.
Greater Adria’s story provides critical insights into the forces that continue to shape the Earth’s surface. Scientists believe this research will help improve models for future continental shifts and the evolution of landmasses worldwide.
While Greater Adria remains buried beneath layers of rock, its discovery offers a fascinating glimpse into Earth’s ancient past and the dynamic nature of our planet’s geology.