this post was submitted on 27 Feb 2024
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People only figured out the mechanics of plate tectonics relatively recently. However, they noticed that the continents looked like they had fit together as soon as they had accurate maps to look at. In the late 1500's
Wikipedia link.
That’s cute honey, would you like an internet.
Exactly!
While the continents might look like they fit together, and the rock types and ages and fossils match at key points all down the coasts from Canada/Scotland all the way down to South America and South Africa, how on earth (sorry) would you explain how the continents are thousands of miles apart?
One theory posited the earth spinning so fast centrifugal forces ripped ehat would become the moon out of the Pacific, sucking Eurasia and America into the void.
That's a Randall Monroe WhatIf if ever I saw one. Think of the energy involved! All life on earth would be extinct.
So these theories were laughed out of scientific court. Until Vine and Matthew's seminal paper on magnetic stripes being mirrored over the mid ocean ridge showed there had to be something forcing the plates apart.
He says afroeurasia and the Americas are three continents, but these days we know they're only two.
Um, no?
Continents are a social construct, with countless varying different definitions and groupings across the world.
They only say that because Europe can't cope with being Asia's elbow
You're not a real boy, Europe, deal with it!
Hell yeah they are!