Zealandia is Earth’s newest continent

New Zealand sits atop a previously unknown continent — mostly submerged beneath the South Pacific — that should be recognised with the name Zealandia, scientists said Friday.Researchers said Zealandia was a distinct geological entity and met all the criteria applied to Earth’s seven other continents — elevation above the surrounding area, distinctive geology, a well-defined area and a crust much thicker than that found on the ocean floor.In a paper published in the Geological Society of America’s Journal, GSA Today, they said Zealandia measured five million square kilometre (1.9 million square miles)and was 94 percent underwater.
science are attempting to unlock the secrets of the “lost continent” of Zealandia, setting sail Friday to investigatethe huge underwater landmass east of Australia that has never been properly studied.Zealandia, which is mostly submerged beneath the South Pacific, was once part of the Gondwana super-continent but broke away some 75 million years ago.In a paper published in the Geological Society of America’s Journal GSA Today inFebruary, researchers made the case that it should be considered a new continent