Africa is being torn apart. Yes, by wars and famine and disease, true. But also by an amazing geological event:
By every indication, an ocean is forming in one of the hottest, driest places on the earth- the Afar depression, in Northwestern Ethiopia.
This region is often referred to as the "cradle of life" where, according to the research of theLeaky family, some of the earliest humans may have first appeared. But today it looks nothing like eden:
No rain falls for much of the year, and daytime temperatures approach 120 degrees Fahrenheit in summer. The earth's crust in this region is less than 1/2 the thickness of its surrounding areas. Parts of the depression are over 1000 feet below sea level, and an ugly war between Ethiopia and neighboring Eritera make this region of earthquakes, volcanoes, and vast hydrothermal fields further inhospitable.
As these surface activities escalate, the depression, which lies at the north end of the East African Rift continues to sink as its crust wears thinner and thinner. Geologists confirm the East African Rift has opened up 28' during a recent earthquake. According to NASA, the actual profile of the East Africa Rift valley is a nearly exact match to the profile of the central axis of mid-ocean ridges. We are literally witnesses to the formation of an ocean.
By every indication, an ocean is forming in one of the hottest, driest places on the earth- the Afar depression, in Northwestern Ethiopia.
This region is often referred to as the "cradle of life" where, according to the research of theLeaky family, some of the earliest humans may have first appeared. But today it looks nothing like eden:
No rain falls for much of the year, and daytime temperatures approach 120 degrees Fahrenheit in summer. The earth's crust in this region is less than 1/2 the thickness of its surrounding areas. Parts of the depression are over 1000 feet below sea level, and an ugly war between Ethiopia and neighboring Eritera make this region of earthquakes, volcanoes, and vast hydrothermal fields further inhospitable.
As these surface activities escalate, the depression, which lies at the north end of the East African Rift continues to sink as its crust wears thinner and thinner. Geologists confirm the East African Rift has opened up 28' during a recent earthquake. According to NASA, the actual profile of the East Africa Rift valley is a nearly exact match to the profile of the central axis of mid-ocean ridges. We are literally witnesses to the formation of an ocean.
The Afar Depression, seen from space
A land mass larger than, but similar to Madagascar will be separated from Africa proper, and begin to move away from the larger continent- sliced off as if Saudi Arabia were a huge cleaver.
This formation will be complete when saltwater from the red sea, which has flooded Afar's lowlands at least 3 times, sweeps in to finally fill the massive gash.
Here's a FABULOUS Scientific American slideshow of the diversity of this region:http://www.sciam.com/slide
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