An international team of geologists has uncovered buried fragments of Gondwana, revealing that the ancient supercontinent was far more expansive than previously believed.
Published in Science Advances, the study was led by researchers from the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Curtin University, and Zhejiang Lab. By performing a metaphorical Earth "CT scan" using neodymium isotopic mapping on over 25,000 igneous rock samples, the team traced ancient chemical signatures deep beneath modern crusts.
The findings prove that Gondwana spanned at least 80 per cent of Earth's continental land mass some 500 million years ago. Researchers note that massive volcanic activity and subduction along its margins dramatically reshaped global climates and marine environments. These profound geological shifts ultimately forged the ideal conditions necessary to ignite the Cambrian explosion, the pivotal era that sparked the sudden, rapid diversification of complex life on Earth.
Experts highlight that this discovery fundamentally rewrites our understanding of early planetary history.