Cool paleogeographic visual

[MichaelB]

Earth's landmasses were not always what they are today. Continents formed as Earth's crustal plates shifted and collided over long periods of time. This video shows how today's continents are thought to have evolved over the last 600 million years, and where they'll end up in the next 100 million years. Paleogeographic Views of Earth's History provided by Ron Blakey, Professor of Geology, Northern Arizona University.

Earth 100 Million Years From Now - YouTube

 

[W2R]

Beautiful video, and interesting - - thanks!

I learned some rudimentary paleogeography from a professor that was very talented with chalk - - and who also had some graphics bigger than posters that he flipped through. This sort of information is so much more easily communicated via digital presentations like this one.

 

[timo2]

When I was a geology student in 1974, the plate tectonic theories were just gaining widespread acceptance. But most textbooks still had the previous theory, the one that mountains formed because they were made of lighter material than the earth's crust. The plate tectonics theory turned out to be quite a lot easier to substantiate than the floating mountain one.

Also in 1974, the common thought of geo-climate folks was the earth would get a little colder due to global dimming. While global dimming did occur, NOVA | Understanding Global Dimming ,it has been overwhelmed by global warming. And actually, global dimming has helped reduce global warming's effects.

 

[W2R]

The guy with the graphics and chalk was an oceanographer at Old Dominion University, in 1975. But actually I was first taught in about both continental drift (and then plate tectonics, by name even!) in classes back in the mid to late 1960's. Guess I was lucky to have had some pretty prescient professors!

 

[veremchuka]

Interesting, I've seen the past but this is the 1st time I remember seeing the future. Funny how so many major land masses to me seem to be more eroded by the oceans vs changing shape and drifting about.

 

[MuirWannabe]

Interesting, I've seen the past but this is the 1st time I remember seeing the future. Funny how so many major land masses to me seem to be more eroded by the oceans vs changing shape and drifting about.

Two thoughts:

1. I guess the drought in Texas won't last forever....
2. What does this mean for my SWR?

 

[REWahoo]

Two thoughts:

1. I guess the drought in Texas won't last forever....
2. What does this mean for my SWR?

Looks like if we hang on long enough we'll end up with some great beachfront property and not have to worry about running out of $.

 

[Powor]

Awesome video, thanks for sharing. I'm sort of glad I won't be hanging around to experience a lot of the movement. I figure no one will notice while it is happening anyway. Slow and steady and all.

 

[Walt34]

Looks like if we hang on long enough we'll end up with some great beachfront property and not have to worry about running out of $.

Yes, but more importantly, should I pay off the mortgage and when should I take SS?

 

[JoeWras]

Interesting, I've seen the past but this is the 1st time I remember seeing the future. Funny how so many major land masses to me seem to be more eroded by the oceans vs changing shape and drifting about.

The depiction is at a time when the ocean levels are high. Notice almost no ice at the poles. This leads to many shallow seas and an apparent "break up" of the continents. Whether or not it will be that way in 100 M years is probably a guess, but as good as any.

You'll also see this briefly in the history portion about 100 million years ago, another ice free period. Go visit the USA great west and it is hard to get away from the impacts of this period as much of the beauty (think layers in the grand canyon) and fossil displays are due to it.

Whether or not we are warming earth right now is a blip in the big picture. The earth has had alternate icy and watery periods.

 

[veremchuka]

Whether or not we are warming earth right now is a blip in the big picture. The earth has had alternate icy and watery periods.

That's for sure. Declaring man made global climate change or a temperature increase of a few degrees over the past few hundred years is like an animal that lives for 2 hours studying the tides!

 

[tryan]

Interesting ... much more water front property in the future

 

[M Paquette]

Interesting ... much more water front property in the future

Yup. I get beachfront property once the West Antarctic ice sheet pops. Because of the local terrain, I'm OK even if the Greenland ice cap goes. The folks downslope? Not so much. Poor planning on their part, I suppose...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Antarctic_Ice_Sheet