A new study is stirring up debate in the world of geography. For years, we've learned that the seven continents are Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Oceania, Europe, North America, and South America. But a recent study published in Gondwana Research challenges this idea, proposing that there are actually only six continents.
Researchers from the University of Derby have been examining how the continents have shifted over time. They focused on the breakup of the tectonic plates that make up Europe and North America. According to Dr. Jordan Phethean, the lead author of the study, the traditional belief that these plates separated 52 million years ago might be incorrect.
Dr. Phethean told Earth.com that "the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates have not yet actually broken apart," as previously thought. Instead, these plates are still stretching and in the process of breaking apart. This means that North America and Europe might be considered a single continent rather than two separate ones.
The study paid special attention to Iceland, which is believed to have formed around 60 million years ago from the mid-Atlantic ridge. This ridge was thought to have created the island due to volcanic activity. However, the researchers now believe that Iceland and the Greenland-Iceland-Faroes Ridge (GIFR) contain fragments of both the European and North American plates, suggesting they are connected pieces.
To describe this finding, the scientists introduced the term "Rifted Oceanic Magmatic Plateau" (ROMP). If their theory is correct, it would imply that the tectonic plates of Europe and North America are still breaking apart, leading to a world with only six continents.
Dr. Phethean acknowledges that this idea is controversial but stands by his research. He admits, "It is controversial to suggest that the GIFR contains a large amount of continental crust within it and that the European and North American tectonic plates have perhaps not yet officially broken up."
Currently, the research is in its early stages, and the team plans to conduct more tests on Iceland’s volcanic rocks to find more evidence. If their findings are confirmed, it could mean a major change in how we think about the world's continents.
