AFRICA SPLITTING INTO 2, NEW OCEAN COULD BE FORMED
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3 April 2024
In recent years, Africa has experienced a significant tectonic shift, leading to the continent's gradual splitting into two separate landmasses
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This phenomenon, known as the East African Rift System (EARS), is reshaping the geological landscape of the region
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A study carried out on EARS said it could lead to the emergence of sixth ocean on the planet
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Earth currently has five distinct oceans - Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Antarctic and Arctic
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A sixth ocean, if formed, could lead to massive changes in the planet's geography
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As the rift widens, it is causing the African Plate to split into two distinct parts: the Nubian Plate and the Somali Plate
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A study detailing the split was published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters. It said that the plates separate a few mm per year
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Experts say this could see introduction of a coastline in landlocked countries like Ethiopia and Uganda
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However, researchers said that the continent will not completely split for another 5 to 10 million years
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The movement of tectonic plates is driven by several underlying mechanisms, including mantle convection and gravitational forces
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