New research from Keele University (UK) published in theJournal of African Earth Sciences said that data from magnetic measuring devices more than half a century ago revealed the stunning truth: Africa has been torn apart for tens of millions of years. Scientists warn that this simmering process will create a new ocean, dividing the world's second largest continent into two separate areas.
According to the research team, by analyzing the magnetic data collected from 1968-1969 using aviation equipment, they recreated the process of separating Africa and the Arabian Peninsula - two pieces that are joined together like a giant shaping game of the ancient world.
The process of splitting as a shirt lock through Ethiopia to Mozambique
The rift did not come about suddenly but lasted for tens of millions of years, driven by volcanic activity and earthquakes along the East African Rift.
The system is more than 6,400km long, averaging 50-60km wide, running from Jordan through Ethiopia to Mozambique.
Scientists predict that the tear will continue to eat along the dilation line, splitting into two giant lakes such as Malawi Lake and Turkana Lake - which are considered the "hot spot" for this special geological process.
A new Africa will form in 5-10 million years
When the process comes to an end, Africa will no longer be a unified bloc. The larger west will include most of the countries such as Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, Ghana or Namibia. Smaller crowds will include Indonesia, Kenya, Indonesia, Mozambique and a large part of Ethiopia.
These findings show that the planet never stands still, but always changes right at our feet, said Professor Peter Styles, a geologist at Keele University.
Signs of a new, fragile ocean underground
The team discovered magnetic regions in the ancient ocean shell formed when the Earths poles reverse running between Africa and the Arabs. This is an undeniable trace of the formation of a new ocean crust.
That means the afar area - where the Red Sea meets the Gulf of Aden - is the backbone of a completely new ocean.
Afar is one of the rare areas on Earth where three major expansion zones converge: the Ethiopia main expansion zone, the Red Sea expansion zone and the Aden Gulf expansion zone. Here, scientists believe that we are witnessing the first moments of geological separation between the two continents.
The process of the continental crust being stretched and thinning is happening quietly but continuously. The current separation rate is very slow, only 5-16 mm/year in the area north of the giant. This means the completion process will take several million more years - too long for humans to see with the naked eye, but enough to create a new ocean in the geological future.
