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Zealandia: Is there an eighth continent under New Zealand?

You think you know your seven mainlands? Reconsider, as there's another contender wanting to join that club.

Make proper acquaintance with Zealandia, an immense landmass totally submerged in the southwest Pacific.

It's not a total more interesting, you may have known about its most elevated mountains, the main bits appearing above water: New Zealand.

Researchers say it qualifies as a landmass and have now made a recharged push for it to be perceived all things considered.

In a paper distributed in the Geological Society of America's Journal, analysts clarify that Zealandia measures five million sq km (1.9m sq miles) which is around 66% of neighboring Australia.

Guide of ZealandiaImage copyrightGNS

Somewhere in the range of 94% of that region is submerged with just a couple of islands and three noteworthy landmasses standing out over the surface: New Zealand's North and South Islands and New Caledonia.

You may believe being above water is urgent to making the cut as a landmass, however the specialists took a gander at an alternate arrangement of criteria, all of which are met by the new child around the local area.

rise over the encompassing zone

particular topography

an all around characterized zone

a hull thicker than the consistent sea depths


The primary writer of the article, New Zealand geologist Nick Mortimer, said researchers have been examining information to put forth the defense for Zealandia for over two decades.

"The logical estimation of arranging Zealandia as a landmass is a great deal more than only an additional name on a rundown," the analysts clarified.

"That a mainland can be so submerged yet unfragmented" makes it valuable for "investigating the attachment and separation of mainland covering".

So how then to get Zealandia into the group of landmasses? Ought to course readings writers get apprehensive once more? All things considered, only a couple of years prior, Pluto got commenced the rundown of planets, changing what had been educated in schools for quite a long time.

There is in actuality no logical body that formally perceives landmasses. So it could just change after some time if future research acknowledges Zealandia keeping pace with the rest so that in the long run we may find out around eight, not seven, mainlands.

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