Scientists have uncovered one of the most exciting geological discoveries of the decade – the long-lost Pontus tectonic plate.
This ancient “mega plate,” which once spanned an astonishing 15 million square miles of Earth’s surface, has been hidden deep beneath the planet’s crust for millions of years.
Until recently, the Pontus plate was thought to have been completely swallowed by Earth’s mantle through the process of subduction.
The Pontus Plate: A Hidden Chapter in Earth’s Tectonic History
Earth’s crust is divided into rigid tectonic plates that drift and move across the planet’s surface.
These movements are responsible for earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and the ongoing reshaping of the Earth’s continents.
Since the break-up of the supercontinent Pangea millions of years ago, plate tectonics has followed two primary patterns, oceanic plates moving east to west within the Tethyan realm and plates moving outward in the Panthalassa realm.
Between these two, there was a complex zone where plates interacted in a chaotic mix of subduction.
The Pontus plate was once a vital part of this dynamic system. It existed more than 160 million years ago, stretching across a vast expanse of ocean.
However, traces of this massive plate have remained hidden in the geological record.
The Rediscovery of Pontus
The groundbreaking discovery was made by a team of scientists led by Dr. Suzanna Van de Lagemaat from Utrecht University.
Their research has confirmed the long-standing hypothesis that the Pontus plate existed.
Through the use of advanced computer modeling and field research, the team analyzed ancient oceanic rock formations that have remained intact over millions of years.
These rock fragments, often described as “relics of Pontus,” “but our magnetic lab research on those rocks indicated that our finds were originally from much farther north and had to be remnants of a different, previously unknown plate,” explained Douwe van Hinsbergen, Van de Lagemaat’s PhD supervisor.
In their study, the research team focused on geological structures found in regions such as Japan, Borneo, and the Philippines.
These locations were once part of the tectonically active zone, where the Pontus plate interacted with neighboring plates. The team’s most significant findings came from Borneo.
Tracing the Legacy of Pontus
The Pontus plate was a key component of a much larger, interconnected system of tectonic plates that dominated the western Pacific region for over 150 million years.
The most surprising aspect of this discovery was the realization that the Pontus plate extended across a huge area, influencing geological events from southern Japan to New Zealand.
The tectonic forces in this region were responsible for shaping the landmasses, oceans, and mountain ranges we see today.
Dr. Van de Lagemaat’s team also made significant discoveries in the South China Sea and Palawan in the Philippines, where additional fragments of the Pontus plate were found.
These discoveries suggest that the Pontus plate was a key part of the tectonic system separating the eastern Pacific from the now-confirmed Pontus region.
