Missing continent found in Asia 155 million years after splitting from Australia
- Argoland, which seemingly vanished after breaking off from Australia, has finally been discovered, according to a new study
- Scientists think they have found the landmass under Southeast Asia. It may help explain an invisible barrier that animals do not seem to cross
The continent of Argoland, which seemingly vanished after splitting from Australia 155 million years ago, has finally been discovered, according to a new study.
Continental splits usually leave traces in ancient fossils, rocks, and mountain ranges. But up until now, scientists had been unable to find where Argoland had ended up.
Now researchers at Utrecht University in the Netherlands think they have uncovered the mysterious landmass, hidden under the eastern islands of Southeast Asia.
The discovery could help explain something known as the Wallace line, which is an imaginary boundary that separates Southeast Asian and Australian fauna.
“We were literally dealing with islands of information, which is why our research took so long. We spent seven years putting the puzzle together”, said study author Eldert Advokaat, a geologist at Utrecht University, in a press release.
It took some careful detective work to find where Argoland had gone after breaking off from what would become Australia. Scientists had found bits of “ribbon continents” around South East Asia, but could not piece them back together, Advokaat told Live Science.