Ancient supercontinent Gondwana covered most of Earth
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An international team of scientists led by researchers in China discovered that the ancient supercontinent Gondwana once covered approximately 80% of Earth’s crust around 500 million years ago.
The team found evidence of this larger land mass buried beneath modern continents that were once part of Gondwana. Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Curtin University in Australia, and Zhejiang Lab collaborated on the study, which published its findings in Science Advances.
The discovery changes understanding of Gondwana’s size and its role in the Cambrian explosion, a period of rapid diversification of life. Scientists believe geological activity connected to Gondwana created conditions that allowed for this burst of evolution. The research team hopes to further investigate the ancient supercontinent and its impact on Earth's geological history.
