Researchers at Harvard University recently published a study positing that a new supercontinent could be formed in the near geological future, wiping out humanity and rendering the Earth uninhabitable in the process.
The study, which was published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, suggests that the Earth’s continents are slowly and gradually converging into one single landmass. This landmass would be of an unprecedented size and would be so large that the Earth’s orbit around the Sun would be significantly altered, causing global temperatures to rapidly rise.
The researchers suggest that the formation of such a supercontinent could have huge implications for humanity, as the combined mass of the continents would redirect ocean currents, creating vast desert climates, destroying ecosystems, bringing about famines and wiping out a large percentage of the world’s population.
The study focused on the presence of hotspots in the Earth’s mantle – areas where molten material is forced up towards the surface – which act as plugs that delay the Earth’s continents from joining together. However, the authors suggest that due to the continual movement of the Earth’s tectonic plates, these plugs are gradually weakening and eventually will no longer be able to prevent the formation of a new supercontinent.
The authors have warned that this process could be accelerated should human-induced activities like greenhouse gas emissions further disrupt the Earth’s climate, making the formation of the supercontinent more likely.
No one can deny the potential devastating effects that the formation of such a supercontinent could have on the Earth’s climate, wildlife, and especially humanity. Thankfully however, the authors have sought to present this issue in order to warn us of the dire need to tackle human-induced climate change before it’s too late.