
Earth Sixth Ocean in the Making Africa’s Dramatic Rift Signals a New Era
A stunning geological event unfolding in East Africa could forever reshape the continent and the world. The East African Rift, a massive crack running through Ethiopia and beyond, is not just a scientific curiosity; it marks the early stages of a process that will eventually split Africa in two, creating a brand-new ocean.
A Rift That Could Change the World
Since 2005, a 35-mile-long fissure has been expanding across Ethiopia’s deserts. Scientists confirm that this rift is caused by the slow but powerful movement of tectonic plates, the enormous slabs of Earth’s crust that have shaped the planet for billions of years. The Somalian plate is gradually drifting away from the larger Nubian plate at a rate of a few millimeters per year minuscule shift in human terms, but a monumental for...