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Plate Movement: 200 Million Years Ago to Present Day | California Academy of Sciences
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Plate Movement: 200 Million Years Ago to Present Day | California Academy of Sciences

The Geological Transformation of Earth

The Ancient Configuration of Continents

  • 200 million years ago, the Earth's continents were positioned very differently than today, with India adjacent to Antarctica and Buenos Aires near Cape Town.
  • Morocco was located close to what is now New York City, illustrating a drastically different geographical landscape.

The Opening of the Atlantic Ocean

  • Around this time, the Atlantic Ocean began to open as tectonic plates moved apart, leading to the formation of new crust in between.
  • This geological process can be accelerated in our understanding, allowing us to observe millions of years pass in mere seconds from a human perspective.

Continental Drift and Crust Formation

  • Europe, North America, and Africa were among the first continents to split apart during this period.
  • As the southern Atlantic opened up, Africa and South America began their drift away from each other.
Video description

Witness how Earth's forces have shaped the continents—from millions of years ago to present day. Today’s configuration of continents is dramatically different than it was in the past. See how plate tectonics built and fragmented supercontinents—land masses made of multiple continents merged together—over the past 200 million years. For more on earthquakes—why they happen, how they’ve shaped the Bay Area, and what you can do to prepare for future events—visit calacademy.org/earthquakes. - - - The California Academy of Sciences is the only place in the world with an aquarium, planetarium, natural history museum, and four-story rainforest all under one roof. Visit us online to learn more and to get tickets: http://www.calacademy.org. Connect with us! • Like us on Facebook: http://bit.ly/CASonFB • Follow us on Twitter: http://bit.ly/CASonTwitter • Add us on Google+: http://bit.ly/CASonGoogle