'400 years lost': The continent that vanished beneath the waves is now fully mapped
Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Hidden Giant
Zealandia lay undetected beneath the Pacific for centuries—95% of it submerged, quietly existing without a name or a map.
Eighth Revealed
Recognized only in 2017, Zealandia joined the elite club of continents, earning its place not by land height, but by geological identity.
Ghost Landmass
Once part of Gondwana, Zealandia began drifting 105 million years ago—only to vanish beneath the ocean, like a lost page of Earth’s story.
Mapped Finally
Thanks to a 2023 study, Zealandia is now the world’s first fully mapped continent—despite being almost entirely underwater.
Crust Clue
What makes it a continent? Its crust. Scientist Nick Mortimer explains that Zealandia's distinct continental crust qualifies it, not its elevation.
Seafloor Secrets
Mapping Zealandia meant decoding the ocean floor. Rock samples and deep-sea surveys brought this sunken realm back into focus.
New Zealand’s Peak
Today, New Zealand and a few nearby islands are all that remain above water—visible tips of a submerged giant.
Time Capsule
Zealandia’s underwater silence preserved ancient geological clues, offering scientists a window into Earth’s tectonic evolution.
Sinking Mystery
Why did Zealandia sink? Experts still don’t fully know. But its fall from continental grace only adds to its magnetic mystery.