Week 1
6 July 2006

The Break-up of Gondwana –
Was it really Godzilla’s fault?

(A fable full of facts about the formation of the southern continents.)

This week’s hot topic deals with drifts, break-ups, and ultimate isolation. Have we confused science with soap operas? Read on to find out more.

What does this have to do with Drake Passage? Who is Gondwana anyway? Rather than being a “who”, Gondwana is a “what.” You may have learned that the continents were once all joined. This supercontinent was named Pangea (pan=all) (gea=earth). Pangea later split into 2 land masses, one of which was Laurasia (North America and Asia) and the other, Gondwana. Gondwana was made up of all the continents of the Southern Hemisphere.

The southern supercontinent Gondwana (originally Gondwanaland) included most of the landmasses which make up today's continents of the southern hemisphere, including Antarctica, South America, Africa, Madagascar, Arabia, Australia-New Guinea and New Zealand, as well as India, which is a part of the Northern Hemisphere. This image is a work of a United States Geological Survey employee, taken or made during the course of the person's official duties. As a work of the United States Government, the image is in the public domain. For more information, see the USGS copyright policy

*How Words Work: Find the meanings for both hemi and sphere. Is the earth the only object that can have a hemisphere? *Note to GED students: You need to know about personification for the literature portion of your exam.

But back to Gondwana, “queen” of the Southern Hemisphere. (OK, we’re going to personify Gondwana for awhile). 

Gondwana went through a series of break-ups. Like many people who go through a number of tumultuous life experiences, Godwana ultimately lost her own identity. However her legacy passed on to her offspring. Africa was the first to split off, about 190 million years ago. Then followed Australia and South America. And so concludes our tale of the early earthly break-ups and shake-ups.

So to answer the initial question, “No.” Godzilla was not responsible for any of the break-ups that Gondwana endured. The culprit was actually continental rifting. There isn’t time to cover that concept here. Read about the Great Rift Valleys of East Africa for more information.

What does this have to do with Drake Passage? Drake Passage was formed about 20 million years ago as the continents became widely separated.

Is this all just a fable? When the supercontinent theory was proposed, it was laughed at by most people. Where is the science that indicates that the continents were once joined? Fossil finds in Antarctica have provided evidence.  Antarctic fossil remains of a deciduous conifer, a fern, and a terrestrial lizard have generic counterparts in India, Africa, South America and Australia.

Falklands : Falklands Fossils Unlock Their Secrets Link	At the site where fossil hunter Kampiro Kareinto (right) found the first canine tooth of an Australopithecus anamensis, Tim White gently lifts a piece of the shattered tooth. Credit: Photo © 2005 David L. Brill\Brill Atlanta Link

The next time you look at a map of the Southern Hemisphere, remember that Antarctica was once joined to all the other southern continents as Gondwana!

Illustration from USGS Link This image is a work of a United States Geological Survey employee, taken or made during the course of the person's official duties. As a work of the United States Government, the image is in the public domain. For more information, see the USGS copyright policy