This article is talking about the appearance of the continents in the world today, and how they have changed over time. Continental drift, which is the gradual movement of the continents, can explain this change.
When the appearance of the present-day continents is observed, there is evidence that the continents were once one large continent, called Pangaea. The continents of South America and Africa, even though they’re thousands of miles apart, look like puzzle pieces that could be joined together. The physical appearance of the continents supports the theory of continental drift.
The location of coal and glacial striations in the world supports the theory of continental drift. Coal is made from compressed tropical plants that have died on the tropical forest floor over millions of years ago. It’s interesting that coal can now be found in parts of the world that are not tropical. Coal can be found in places such as Antarctica, Northern Europe, Northern Asia, and the Northern United States even though these places are not tropical regions. Glacial striations are formed on the bedrock beneath glaciers. These striations can be found in tropical rainforests of South America and Africa where you would never find glaciers. This supports the idea that some continents have moved from tropical to non-tropical regions of the world and vice versa.
In 1953, two famous scientists, Maurice Ewing and Bruce Heezen, discovered that there was a deep canyon called the Great Global Rift, which ran through an underwater mountain like range. The rift appeared to be fractures in the earth’s crust. Surprisingly though, the fractures seemed like they could be fitted like a jigsaw puzzle. This discovery further supports the theory that the continents were once one great continent.
The theory of continental drift is further supported by studying the fossils of the world. Similar plant and animal fossils have been found on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean in South America and Africa. The Mesosaurus, an ancient, freshwater reptile, who roamed the land, somehow lived in both South America and Africa. Because the Mesosaurus couldn’t fly and couldn’t swim in salt water, continental drift explains why there are fossils found of this creature in South America and Africa.
Evidence of continental drift can also be seen by studying the mountain ranges of the world. Mountain ranges in Northeastern United States and mountain ranges in Northern Europe have been found to contain the same type and age of rock indicating they were once one gigantic mountain range.
The continents have changed tremendously since they were all connected in one big continent called Pangaea. Continental drift explains this phenomenon. The physical characteristics of the continents, locations of coal deposits and glacial striations, the discoveries of the scientists Maurice Ewing and Bruce Heezen, plant and animal fossils, and mountain ranges all support the theory of continental drift.
Sources
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbU809Cyrao
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1-cES1Ekto
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5q8hzF9VVE&t=521s