Geologists confirm that a 35-mile-long rift that opened in Ethiopia in 2005— it ripped apart more than 20 feet in just days — is likely the start of a new ocean. The team from U Rochester has been trying to figure out if plates separate little-by-little over the long haul by a series of smaller earthquakes, or if it’s possible for oceanic plates to suddenly break apart along an entire length all at once. Since deep-sea research has obvious difficulties, this above-sea-level rift has allowed them to solve part of this mystery. Their research appears to confirm that every tectonic plate, with edges hundreds of miles in length, has the potential to instantly tear itself apart over a few days. (Here’s the article)

Geologists confirm that a 35-mile-long rift that opened in Ethiopia in 2005— it ripped apart more than 20 feet in just days — is likely the start of a new ocean.

The team from U Rochester has been trying to figure out if plates separate little-by-little over the long haul by a series of smaller earthquakes, or if it’s possible for oceanic plates to suddenly break apart along an entire length all at once.

Since deep-sea research has obvious difficulties, this above-sea-level rift has allowed them to solve part of this mystery. Their research appears to confirm that every tectonic plate, with edges hundreds of miles in length, has the potential to instantly tear itself apart over a few days.

(Here’s the article)

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  1. cassief reblogged this from invaderxan
  2. midninghtmornings reblogged this from blissed and added:
    whaaaaaa? a new ocean?! i dont know why, but i didnt think that was an option. it makes me think though, if the world...
  3. tomorrowme reblogged this from r3d
  4. failure33object reblogged this from jollilama
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  7. terrybain reblogged this from jollilama and added:
    same thing happens...me when I forget
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  9. lafix reblogged this from jollilama and added:
    scariest character
  10. makingitshinelikemoonshine reblogged this from barnumyay and added:
    Earth has a vagina.
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  18. thingsthatinspireandamuse reblogged this from ericmoran and added:
    Geologists confirm that a 35-mile-long rift that opened in Ethiopia in 2005— it ripped apart more than 20 feet in just...
  19. sunken-treasure reblogged this from velveteenrabbit and added:
    proofmathisbeautiful:downtowngirl:constantflux:caro:peterfeld:jollilama:
  20. sonowyouknow reblogged this from corcarpemei and added:
    r3d: antikris: caro: peterfeld: jollilama:...Geologists confirm that a 35-mile-long rift...

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