Earth’s oceans, party of five. Sitting together at the salty dinner table that is the globe, there’s the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic, and Southern Oceans – mingling, reveling, occasionally roiling.
But sometime in the very distant future, there may be a new guest: a sixth ocean.
As a result of movement from the East African Rift, an active tectonic plate running through multiple countries including Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, and others, a large portion of Africa could break off from the rest of the continent and, in the process, create a brand-new ocean.
If (when?) that tectonic shift materializes, and Africa splits in two, it could release 10,000 billion gallons of water, per Business Today. Hence the addition of a new ocean. BT continued:
“The African continent is undergoing a slow, monumental split due to tectonic plate movements in the Afar Triangle. A new ocean may for millions of years from now, reshaping global geography and ecosystems.
“The East African Rift system, marked by the Nubian, Somali, and Arabian plates, is the epicenter of this shift. A 35-mile rift in Ethiopia, formed in 2005, exemplifies this ongoing geological process.”
Related: Massive, One-Mile-Long Volcano Off West Coast Could Blow
Of course, such a colossal continental shift would cause untold tragedy for humans – displacing myriad people, destroying cities and countries, and literally reshaping the world as we know it. That is, though, if humans are still on this earth in the millions of years from now when this happens.
On the other hand, there might be some upsides. BT added:
“A new ocean could unlock economic opportunities for landlocked nations like Uganda and Zambia, offering new coastlines, ports, and trade routes that redefine regional commerce.
[Not to mention, new waves?]
“The sixth ocean’s emergence will foster unique marine ecosystems and biodiversity, creating new avenues for scientific research into ocean evolution and ecological adaptation.”
Luckily, we’ve got millions of years until it all goes down. Nothing to worry about now.
Related: Ocean Warming Has Quadrupled Since 1980s, Study Shows
