A Continent Splits Apart-birth of an ocean (Africa) Spiegel online

[katty]

more: http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/spiegel/0,1518,druck-405947,00.html
Africa's New Ocean

A Continent Splits Apart

By Axel Bojanowski

Normally new rivers, seas and mountains are born in slow motion. The Afar Triangle near the Horn of Africa is another story. A new ocean is forming there with staggering speed -- at least by geological standards. Africa will eventually lose its horn.

Geologist Dereje Ayalew and his colleagues from Addis Ababa University were amazed -- and frightened. They had only just stepped out of their helicopter onto the desert plains of central Ethiopia when the ground began to shake under their feet. The pilot shouted for the scientists to get back to the helicopter. And then it happened: the Earth split open. Crevices began racing toward the researchers like a zipper opening up. After a few seconds, the ground stopped moving, and after they had recovered from their shock, Ayalew and his colleagues realized they had just witnessed history. For the first time ever, human beings were able to witness the first stages in the birth of an ocean.

[enid602]

1. Africa

Well, if it is splitting off in Ethiopia, I'd say Africa is losing its southern half, not just its horn.

[katty]

2. wow

[MisterP]

6. the rifts cover the whole east coast:

the Great Rift halves Ethiopia from Djibouti through Kenya, and another borders Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, and Mozambique; it includes the the Sea of Galilee, the Dead Sea, the Red Sea, and Lakes Turkana, Tanganyika, and Nyaza/Malawi.

[katty]

7. OMG

[MisterP]

8. well, it's not going to split off NOW

the Atlantic is spreading at about 0.5"/yr--twice the rate toenails grow, or about half that of fingernails. It's a little on the long-term side...

[Higans]

3. too bad they didn't get it on video. N/T

[longship]

4. But that can't happen...

The earth is static and only 6,000 years old. My bible says so, and so it's a FACT!
:sarcasm:

[MazeRat7]

5. Wow, thats amazing. Thanks.

[cally]

9. Wow...thanks for posting this..nt