A recent study conducted by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) has suggested that the emergence of a new supercontinent could have devastating consequences in terms of human inhabitation.
The study postulates that, over the course of the next 200-500 million years, the Earth’s continents may be drawn together, forming an entirely new continent in the process. According to scientists, the tectonic forces driving this process could also act to drastically alter the planet’s climate, making it considerably less hospitable to human life.
The study suggests that such a process of continental reassembly would see the emergence of a single, unified continent known as Pangea Proxima. This new geological phenomenon would have serious implications for global temperatures, air circulation and ocean currents, leading to a dramatic rise in temperatures and profound changes in weather patterns.
The formation of Pangea Proxima could potentially disrupt the ocean’s thermohaline circulation, a crucial climate mechanism that drives the movement of heat around the globe. This disruption would, in turn, lead to significant alterations in global temperatures, with the consequences potentially manifesting in the form of droughts, flooding, and other environmental catastrophes.
The study also suggests that the new landmass created by the process of continental reassembly could lead to a higher frequency of extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, storms, and monsoons, further exacerbating the situation.
The findings, published in Nature Communications, represent the first attempt to simulationally examine the potential effects of the formation of a new supercontinent on global climates. The results paint a stark and sobering picture of a future in which the Earth’s climate becomes drastically different and potentially uninhabitable.
While the emergence of a new supercontinent is still someway off, the study places emphasis on the need for humanity to take steps to curtail climate change, in order to ensure the survival of human civilization. The consequences of doing otherwise could be dire, indeed.