Ocean instead of a continent — what changes humanity should prepare for.

In East Africa, scientists have discovered mantle plumes that could lead to the formation of a new oceanic basin. According to Earth magazine, this anomaly may pose a threat to one of the largest continents.

More about the discovery

Researchers studied lava from over 130 volcanoes in the Afar Depression, where three tectonic plate boundaries meet: the Main Ethiopian Rift, the Red Sea Rift, and the Aden Gulf Rift. They found mantle uplift in these areas, indicating pulsations in the Earth's interior and the movement of hot material upward.

“We found that the mantle under Afar is neither homogeneous nor stationary - it is pulsating, and these pulsations carry distinct chemical signatures,” said the leading author of the study, Emma Watts.

According to scientists, these processes could lead to the emergence of a new ocean, as they weaken the Earth's crust and create conditions for the formation of an oceanic basin. Currently, specialists can already detect mantle pulsations beneath Ethiopia, which may herald a new ocean.

It is worth noting that the Indian Ocean also contains rare resources that are important for humanity, such as polymetallic nodules and gold deposits.

The uplift of the Earth's mantle in East Africa may lead to the emergence of a new oceanic basin, which could have significant consequences for the geological history of the planet and the distribution of its natural resources.