Discovery of the Lost Continent of Argoland

During the dinosaur era, Earth was home to supercontinents—massive landmasses comprising at least 75% of the Earth’s land. Pangea, Gondwana, and Pannotia are the most recognized recent supercontinents. Earlier supercontinents included Nuna (Columbia), Rodinia, and Ur.

Argoland: The Vanished Supercontinent

  • Argoland was a colossal continent that existed alongside northeastern Australia 155 million years ago.
  • This landmass, stretching 3,000 miles long, has been a long-standing geological mystery.

Evidence of Existence

  • Scientists deduced the existence of Argoland from the Argo Abyssal Plain, a vast basin beneath the ocean.
  • Remnants of Argoland are believed to be buried under parts of Southwest Asia, including Indonesia and Myanmar.

Solving the Mystery

  • Using paleomagnetic observations, researchers have traced the fragmentation of Argoland.
  • The continent began breaking apart around 300 million years ago, during Gondwana’s era.

Research Findings

  • The study identifies fragments of Argoland in regions like Southwest Borneo and West Burma.
  • Unlike other continents that split into two, Argoland shattered into numerous pieces, making its historical path complex.

Implications of the Discovery

  • The findings challenge the notion that continents can disappear without a trace.
  • This research enables more accurate reconstructions of Earth’s geological past, illustrating the dynamic changes of continental structures.

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