In a groundbreaking discovery, geoscientists have uncovered the existence of a continent that has been hidden in plain sight for nearly 375 years. Known as Zealandia or Te Riu-a-Māui in the Māori language, this continent was once part of the supercontinent Gondwana over 500 million years ago.
The continent’s separation from Gondwana is still not fully understood, with scientists continuing to research the reasons behind this process. Nick Mortimer, who led the study, described the discovery as “kind of cool” and noted that unlike other continents, Zealandia has only three territories.
The uncovering of Zealandia serves as an example of how something “very obvious” can remain hidden for an extended period before being revealed. Scientists are amazed at how a continent as large as Zealandia managed to escape notice for so long, sparking further research and exploration into its geological history.
Abel Tasman, a Dutch businessman and sailor, was the first to mention the existence of Zealandia in 1642 while searching for the “Great Southern Continent”. Although Tasman did not find the new land, he interacted with the local Māori who provided valuable information about the surrounding lands, including Zealandia to the east. Despite this, it was not until 2017 that geologists confirmed Zealandia’s existence.
