North America and Asia to Collide in 250 Million Years, Forming New Supercontinent

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28 Jul 2023

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🫠 Imagine a world where North America and Asia are joined together by a land bridge, where Australia is part of Asia, and where the Pacific Ocean is no more. This is not a fantasy, but a possible future scenario for our planet. Scientists have predicted that in about 250 million years, the Earth will have a new supercontinent called Amasia, formed by the collision and fusion of the current continents. How will this happen, and what will it mean for life on Earth? Let’s find out!

What is a supercontinent?

🌍 A supercontinent is a large landmass that consists of most or all of the Earth’s continental crust. Supercontinents are not permanent features, but rather the result of the movement and interaction of the tectonic plates that make up the Earth’s surface. Tectonic plates are large slabs of rock that float on top of a softer layer called the mantle. The plates move very slowly, about a few centimeters per year, due to the convection currents in the mantle. Sometimes, the plates collide with each other, creating mountains and volcanoes. Other times, they pull apart from each other, creating rifts and oceans.

🌏 The Earth has experienced several cycles of supercontinent formation and breakup over its 4.5 billion-year history. The most recent supercontinent was Pangaea, which existed about 300 million years ago. Pangaea was surrounded by a single ocean called Panthalassa and contained all of the current continents as one large landmass. About 200 million years ago, Pangaea began to break apart due to the forces of plate tectonics. The continents drifted away from each other, forming new oceans and basins. The Atlantic Ocean, for example, was formed by the separation of North America and Europe.

How will Amasia form?

🌎 The next supercontinent cycle is expected to occur in about 250 million years, according to a new study by geologists from Curtin University in Australia. They used a supercomputer to simulate how the tectonic plates will evolve over time, based on their current positions and velocities. They found that the most likely scenario is that the Pacific Ocean will close, bringing North America and Asia together as Amasia. This process is called extroversion, meaning that the oldest ocean (the Pacific) will disappear, while the younger oceans (the Atlantic and Indian) will remain.

🌊 The Pacific Ocean is the remnant of Panthalassa and has been shrinking ever since Pangaea broke apart. The Pacific plate is subducting (sinking) under the Eurasian plate and the Indo-Australian plate, creating a ring of fire around the ocean’s edge. This ring of fire is marked by frequent earthquakes and volcanoes, as well as island arcs and trenches. As the Pacific plate subducts, it pushes North America westward, while Australia moves northward. Eventually, these continents will collide with Asia, forming Amasia.

📗 The study also considered other possible scenarios for supercontinent formation, such as introversion and orthoversion. Introversion means that a younger ocean (the Atlantic or Indian) will close, while extroversion means that an older ocean (the Pacific) will close. Orthoversion means that neither ocean will close completely, but rather a new ocean will form in between them. However, these scenarios were less likely than extroversion, according to the computer model.

What will Amasia look like?

🌎 Amasia will be a massive landmass that covers most of the Northern Hemisphere. It will consist of North America, Asia, Australia, and parts of Europe and Africa. It will be surrounded by a single ocean called Atlantica, which will include the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and parts of the Arctic Ocean and the Southern Ocean. Amasia will have several mountain ranges along its edges, such as the Himalayas, the Rockies, and the Alps. It will also have several inland seas and lakes, such as the Mediterranean Sea and Lake Baikal.

🌍 Amasia will have a diverse climate and ecology, depending on its latitude and elevation. It will have polar regions in the north and south poles, temperate regions in the mid-latitudes, and tropical regions near the equator. It will have forests, grasslands, deserts, wetlands, and tundra. It will also have a rich biodiversity of plants and animals, some of which may be endemic (unique) to Amasia.

🌏 Amasia will also have an impact on human civilization and culture. It will create new opportunities for trade and travel between different regions of the world. It will also create new challenges for geopolitics and security, as well as environmental issues such as climate change and natural disasters. It may even inspire new forms of art and literature.

Conclusion

🌎 Amasia is the name of the future supercontinent that will form in about 250 million years when North America and Asia will collide and fuse together. It will be the result of the closure of the Pacific Ocean, which is the oldest and largest ocean on Earth. It will be a huge landmass that covers most of the Northern Hemisphere and will have a diverse climate and ecology. It will also have an influence on human society and culture, both positively and negatively.

🌍 Amasia is not a certainty, but a possibility. It is based on the current trends and projections of plate tectonics, which are subject to change and uncertainty. It is also based on a long-term perspective, which may not be relevant to our present-day concerns and interests. However, it is a fascinating and intriguing concept that helps us imagine how our planet will evolve over time, and how we will adapt to it.

😒Question for the reader: What do you think of Amasia? Do you find it exciting or scary? How do you think it will affect life on Earth? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!💬👇

`If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to share them with me. I would love to hear from you. And if you want to learn more exoplanets and astronomy, please check out our other articles and resources.`

📚 Sources:

(1) Supercontinent Amasia to form (but not for 200 million years), say .... | Link

(2) Meet Amasia, Earth’s Next Supercontinent - Popular Mechanics.

(3) Evidence falls into place for once and future supercontinents. | Link

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