A sixth ocean on earth? Scientists discover this amazing formation that may change the perception of our planet

The world we live in is constantly changing - even the ground underneath our feet. Earth’s shell is made up of several large tectonic plates, which have been moving and splitting for billions of years.

For decades, geologists have been closely monitoring developments in the East African Rift (EAR) system - a fissure, which stretches 4,000 miles long and 30–40 miles wide along the deserts of Ethiopia.

The African plates are separating

This rift is widening, creating a huge gap exposing hot magma below the Earth’s crust. The process could drastically alter the geography of our planet along with the socio-economic landscape of Africa, and its political boundaries.

The Nubian Plate makes up most of Africa, while the smaller plate that is pulling away has been named the Somalian Plate. These two plates are moving away from each other and also away from the Arabian plate above the Red Sea to the north.

If the two tectonic plates continue to shift and the EAR system widens, eventually creating a basin which could lead to the birth of a new ocean.

“We can see that oceanic crust is starting to form, because it’s distinctly different from continental crust in its composition and density,” Chris Moore, a Ph.D. graduate at Leeds University told NBC.

The East African Rift is not a new phenomenon. It has been active for millions of years, and is behind the formation and breakup of several of the region’s most iconic landmarks such as Mount Kilimanjaro and Lake Victoria.

So when could we see the creation of a sixth ocean? Probably not in our lifetime. The plates are moving very slowly - just a few millimeters per year which means that while separation is inevitable, the process won’t be fully complete for a very long time.

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