LanceH Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 (edited) This isn't really fossil news but still amazing: Africa 'witnessing birth of a new ocean' A 60km crack opened in Ethiopia in 2005 and has been expanding ever since. Africa is witnessing the birth of a new ocean, according to scientists at the Royal Society. Geologists working in the remote Afar region of Ethiopia say the ocean will eventually split the African continent in two, though it will take about 10 million years. Edited June 27, 2010 by LanceHall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LanceH Posted June 27, 2010 Author Share Posted June 27, 2010 (edited) This is also the same region of Ethiopia that the skeleton of Australopithecus afarensis (aka "Lucy") was found. Edited June 27, 2010 by LanceHall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 This is also the same region of Ethiopia that the skeleton of Australopithecus afarensis (aka "Lucy") was found. And "Ardi" (Ardipithicus ramidus), among many other significant finds! "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roz Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 I missed that article somehow, amazing to say the least... Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamalama Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 Yeah, this is some cool stuff and is somewhat analogous to what happened along the east coast of the US when Africa and North America split in the Triassic. Y'know those giant lakes like Victoria and Malawi? Well they are part of the rift system too! We have Triassic aged sediments all through my area here, northeast of Philadelphia, that are from similar lakes. One day I'd like to visit the valley system and explore the geology. There is a great article on Geology.com about the Rift system: http://geology.com/articles/east-africa-rift.shtml -Dave __________________________________________________ Geologists on the whole are inconsistent drivers. When a roadcut presents itself, they tend to lurch and weave. To them, the roadcut is a portal, a fragment of a regional story, a proscenium arch that leads their imaginations into the earth and through the surrounding terrain. - John McPheeIf I'm going to drive safely, I can't do geology. - John McPheeCheck out my Blog for more fossils I've found: http://viewsofthemahantango.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashcraft Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 Here in Missouri, we deal with the remnants of a failed rift- The Reelfoot Rift, which is most active in the New Madrid fault zone. This was a tear from Indiana through Missouri, and on down into Louisiana around 750,000,000 years ago, when the super continent Rodenia was splitting up. In Africa, the Great Rift Valley has lead to speciation because of how it geographically isolates so many organisms within a relatively short time (geologically speaking). Brent Ashcraft ashcraft, brent allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamalama Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 Imagine how different North America would have looked if these failed rifts would have succeed? -Dave __________________________________________________ Geologists on the whole are inconsistent drivers. When a roadcut presents itself, they tend to lurch and weave. To them, the roadcut is a portal, a fragment of a regional story, a proscenium arch that leads their imaginations into the earth and through the surrounding terrain. - John McPheeIf I'm going to drive safely, I can't do geology. - John McPheeCheck out my Blog for more fossils I've found: http://viewsofthemahantango.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wRick Posted June 29, 2010 Share Posted June 29, 2010 Imagine how different North America would have looked if these failed rifts would have succeed? Atlantis? An archipelago of small to large size islands in the middle of the Atlantic ocean? That would be awesome! Id have beach front property! On the west coast! Actually, I'd be under water right now. "There is no difference between Zen and Purgatory and Time Warner Cable, and they are trying to tach me this, but I am a dim impatient pupil." ----- xonenine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 I hadn't heard of that. Quite interesting. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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