Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
The African continent is undergoing a slow, monumental split due to tectonic plate movements in the Afar Triangle. A new ocean may form millions of years from now, reshaping global geography and ecosystems.
The East African Rift system, marked by the Nubian, Somali, and Arabian plates, is the epicenter of this shift. A 35-mile rift in Ethiopia, formed in 2005, exemplifies this ongoing geological process.
A plume of super-heated rock rising from the mantle below East Africa is driving the rift. This geological force causes the crust to break, forming valleys and triggering volcanic activity.
Ethiopia’s Erta Ale volcano offers clues into active tectonic processes, similar to mid-ocean ridges. GPS and satellite radar reveal ground movements, with African plates separating at up to 0.5 inches per year.
Representative pic
Over 15 million Africans are already displaced due to climate-related changes, per UNEP. The rift’s progression could lead to further displacement, forcing communities to migrate as landmasses destabilize.
Representative pic/UN
The shifting tectonics will displace flora and fauna, threatening biodiversity. Habitats will vanish or transform, impacting Africa’s ecosystems as the continent slowly divides.
A new ocean could unlock economic opportunities for landlocked nations like Uganda and Zambia, offering new coastlines, ports, and trade routes that redefine regional commerce.
Credits: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
The sixth ocean’s emergence will foster unique marine ecosystems and biodiversity, creating new avenues for scientific research into ocean evolution and ecological adaptation.
Credits: NOAA
The v’s deep fossil record offers valuable clues about early human evolution. This region’s geological and evolutionary history intertwines, revealing connections between Earth’s processes and life’s development.