Scientists have discovered a possible new continent under Iceland

Although it was believed to have the most detailed map of the Milky Way ever created, apparently we do not have all the information we would like on the geological evolution of our own planet, the Earth. Because? Scientists believe they have discovered under the waters of northern latitudes, that Iceland could hide a prehistoric continent of which there was no trace. They claim that the Nordic island country might just be the tip of a massive rock formation, which has remained for thousands of years beneath the waves of the Atlantic Ocean.

“There is a continent hidden just below the sea“He warned Gillian foulger, a British geologist, scholar and researcher at Durham University, who has just presented her theory to some of her colleagues in a book edited and published by the Geological Society of America.

Until today, Iceland was thought to be part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where two of Earth’s tectonic plates slowly separate. The hot magma from the interior of the planet gushes out along this gigantic underwater mountain range and, as it cools, it creates a new earth’s crust, which pushes the previous one towards the continental coasts, where this crust sinks. in the coat. This is the reason why it is thinner on the seabed than on the continents, but according to the research team, Iceland is an anomaly.

It’s a remarkable geological secret, they warned, completely covered by the ocean that surrounds the country. This geological formation could reveal the last tangible reminiscences of the Pangea, the supercontinent that included the entire landmass of the planet, but was destroyed by tectonic movements millions of years ago.

Scientists are still unable to explain how Iceland came to have such a thick accumulated ocean crust, just then, because in general, says Foulger, at the bottom of the ocean the crust is normally between 6 and 7 kilometers thick, but under Iceland you can see up to 40 kilometers deep.

The unusual thickness of the oceanic crust in Iceland could be explained by the presence of a “hot spot”, an unusually warm region of the mantle that causes an increase in volcanic activity. But this explanation is not entirely clear to Foulger, who disagrees and offers an alternative explanation: in fact Iceland is made up of continental, not oceanic, crust, as well as a large part of the seabed that surrounds it.. Which, according to the researcher, would explain all of its strange characteristics. This is how he declares: “Everything is fine, even though we still wonder how we haven’t seen it before”.

For now, it has been decided to name this hidden continent as “Iceland», In reference to the crowning country. Foulger believes its extension could be much larger than all of Europe.

In total, according to the team of geologists with which Foulger worked, it is believed to cover up to a million square kilometers. If the theory holds true, it would indicate that Pangea did not completely rupture towards the end of the Paleozoic era, around 50 million years ago. In the same way, would challenge everything that is known about Icelandic volcanic island formations.

There are various theories regarding the oceanic crust of this island territory. According to the geologist, who is a 68-year-old professor emeritus of geophysics in the Department of Earth Sciences at Durham University, “Existing beliefs that Iceland is built on and surrounded by oceanic crust are not supported by multiple geological data. For example, the crust under Iceland is over 40 kilometers thick, which is seven times thicker than the normal oceanic crust. This phenomenon simply cannot be explained.

In any case, the expert insists on his observation: There is a continent hidden just below the Icelandic Sea and as he analyzes it, the discovery could bring a broader and fresher view of understanding the planet at a geological level.. Foulger ventured out to predict that the same could even happen in other parts of the world.

The new territory could, however, lead to legal and political conflicts.. Los países de todo el mundo están haciendo inversiones considerables para encontrar fuentes de minerales e hidrocarburos en el subsuelo, por lo that if the existence of “Icelandia” was confirmed, Islandia podría contar con nuevos recursos al ver ampliada su plataforma continental y territorial, even if, geologists want this new continent declared a world heritage site.

Iceland is a Nordic island country characterized by its spectacular landscape with volcanoes, geysers, hot springs and lava fields. It had in 2019 with 356 thousand inhabitants Yes this nation has been distinguished on several occasions for their good results management in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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