Scientists discover lost continent off Brazil
- 11 years ago
The Rio Grande Elevation, off the coast of Brazil.
On Tuesday, researchers announced the area might be home to parts of the original continent called Pangaea that existed before the Americas, Africa, Europe and other major land masses drifted apart.
The joint team made up of Japanese and Brazilian scientists say they discovered what they believe to be granite along the ocean floor here, a rock usually only found on land.
(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) THE DIRECTOR OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES AT THE BRAZILIAN GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, DOCTOR ROBERTO VENTURA, SAYING:
"When these samples came aboard the ship, the first surprise was, 'what are these rocks doing here?' We did petrographic, geochemical (and) geological studies of this material."
Researchers also found iron, manganese and cobalt, minerals that differentiate the area from the surrounding seabed.
Scientists hypothesize that the underwater landmass may have comprised an island at one time before sinking.
On Tuesday, researchers announced the area might be home to parts of the original continent called Pangaea that existed before the Americas, Africa, Europe and other major land masses drifted apart.
The joint team made up of Japanese and Brazilian scientists say they discovered what they believe to be granite along the ocean floor here, a rock usually only found on land.
(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) THE DIRECTOR OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES AT THE BRAZILIAN GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, DOCTOR ROBERTO VENTURA, SAYING:
"When these samples came aboard the ship, the first surprise was, 'what are these rocks doing here?' We did petrographic, geochemical (and) geological studies of this material."
Researchers also found iron, manganese and cobalt, minerals that differentiate the area from the surrounding seabed.
Scientists hypothesize that the underwater landmass may have comprised an island at one time before sinking.