Geologists Locate Crack Where Africa Is Splitting Into Two

• Scientists revealed that Africa was slowly splitting along the East African Rift, where two massive tectonic plates were drifting apart beneath the surface
• The movement was incredibly slow, but over millions of years, it had already reshaped landscapes, created volcanoes, and formed long valleys across East Africa
• The discovery reminded many people that continents were still changing, even if those changes were too gradual to notice day to day

What looked like a solid continent on classroom maps was quietly shifting underfoot, and the deeper scientists looked, the clearer it became that Africa was in the middle of a transformation that would one day redraw coastlines, create a new ocean, and change how the world sees the continent forever.

Africa’s map may look the same today, but scientists say a slow shift is already underway beneath the surface. According to research highlighted by National Geographic and shared widely by science educators, geologists have identified a massive fracture zone running through East Africa where the continent is gradually pulling itself apart. This process is happening along the East African Rift, where the Somali tectonic plate is separating from the larger Nubian plate. Although the movement is measured in millimetres per year, experts say the long-term impact will be dramatic, eventually forming a brand-new ocean and changing how future generations understand Africa’s geography.

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According to Eco News, Africa sits on massive tectonic plates that float on molten rock deep inside the Earth. In East Africa, those plates are no longer moving together. Instead, the land is stretching, thinning, and cracking from the Horn of Africa down toward Mozambique. Over millions of years, this movement has already shaped valleys, volcanoes, and some of the continent’s largest lakes. Scientists explain that while the split feels impossible to imagine in real time, this same slow process created oceans like the Atlantic long before humans existed.

How a new ocean could form

The topic gained renewed attention online after videos, diagrams, and expert explainers circulated on platforms like YouTube, including content shared by Greenlight Africa. In the YouTube video posted by Greenlight Africa, it showed many people surrounding the crack that is about 20 meters wide.

Many people were surprised to learn that Africa is not breaking apart suddenly, but through a patient geological process that has been unfolding for more than 25 million years. Clips showing cracked roads in Kenya and volcanic activity in Ethiopia helped the science feel real and close to home, especially for Africans living near the rift zone.

Check out the YouTube video below:

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• One woman working as a Geologist was dancing next to a fancy BMW and had people raving about how well she must be doing in life.
• A young honours graduate shared her excitement about landing a job as a mining geologist in a viral video, inspiring many fellow students.
• A content creator took to social media to unveil a geologist's payslip, and many people were left in shock in Mzansi.

Source: Briefly News