Amasia: Earth's Next Supercontinent May Come From the Merging of North America and Asia

Geophysicist Ross Mitchell's book, "The Next Supercontinent," explores a future where Earth's continents merge into a single landmass, Amasia, while taking readers on a journey through the past, blending current references and scientific modeling to predict this event within 300 million years, as the Pacific Ocean shrinks, and continents move towards each other.

History of Supercontinents Forming

In his captivating journey, Mitchell delves into the formation of supercontinents, starting with Pangaea approximately 300 to 200 million years ago, followed by the barren landmass of Rodinia a billion years ago, and possibly the first supercontinent, Columbia, two billion years ago, centered around Siberia according to some scientists.

To comprehend continental movements, scientists rely on microscopic investigations, collecting rock samples during fieldwork to determine their age.

The process of supercontinent formation and breakup is linked to the dynamics of the "solid but flexible" mantle, the layer between Earth's crust and core responsible for storing heat. As the mantle's heat increases, continents respond by moving towards relatively cooler regions within the mantle.

Continents Are Merging To Form Amasia

Understanding the formation and cyclical breakup of supercontinents involves studying the mantle's behavior, described as "solid but pliable" by scientists, which plays a key role in transferring Earth's interior heat upward for release by the crust, Mitchell explains in his book.

Science News added that continents are believed to move inch by inch towards cooler regions within the mantle, where oceanic plates subduct into the deeper layers, as heat rises, bringing continents closer together and eventually leading to a collision and the creation of a new supercontinent. Subsequent mantle movements within the formed supercontinent result in tearing, forming new oceans, and initiating another cycle.

Mitchell envisions "Amasia" as the next supercontinent, contrary to other theories suggesting its formation from the closing of the Pacific or Atlantic oceans. He proposes that Amasia will emerge as the Arctic Ocean disappears while the Americas and Eurasia converge near the North Pole, drawing other continents along with them.

Throughout the book, Mitchell adeptly explains complex concepts with clear explanations and well-chosen images. However, whether his predictions are accurate remains unknown, as it will be a question for future generations to discover, provided humanity endures far beyond any known mammal species.

Mitchell remains hopeful that, given our achievements as a species, humanity can overcome the odds and persist for a significant period, aligning with the potential timeframe for witnessing the realization of his vision.

Other Supercontinent Theories

In 2022, a separate team of researchers used supercomputer modeling to predict the formation of Amasia. According to Popular Mechanics, researchers showed that the formation of the next supercontinent Amasia is likely to be driven by the receding Pacific Ocean, causing North America and Australia to move towards Asia.

Their computer model emphasizes the weakening strength of Earth's oceanic lithosphere as a crucial factor in continent movement, leading to the prediction that Amasia will assemble through the closure of the Pacific Ocean.

The prospect of another supercontinent forming has profound implications for Earth's ecosystem and environment, with potential changes in sea levels, increased aridity, and altered ecosystems and human cultures in the distant future, around 200 to 300 million years from now.