Missing continent found

I recently read an interesting article about the recent discovery of a long-rumored eighth continent that was washed away millions of years ago. Though not exactly Atlantis, this eighth continent did exist in the Pacific Ocean, and a part of it still sticks above the surrounding seas.

Zealandia, a microcontinent about half the size of Australia, was its own landmass separate from Australia or Asia that, you guessed it, is primarily where the island nation of New Zealand is today. Scientists believe the continent began to wash away about 23 million years ago with its crust now only about 20 kilometers deep (continental crust is usually 40, while oceanic is about 10), submerging 94% of the island. Using satellite data in 2017, its rough outline under the waves looks like two big triangles that meet along New Zealand.

The search for the world’s eighth continent stretches back to the legend of Atlantis in Ancient Greece and continued into the Roman Empire’s naval exploration. Dutch explorer Abel Tasman thought he discovered it in the 1640s when he set off from Indonesia and ended up on New Zealand, so he wasn’t entirely wrong.