Science Chats Forum

I know that at one time, all the continents were connected which was called Pangaea. However, over time, the continents separated and became what we have today. That's cool. What do you think the Earth will look like in a million years? I know it won't be how it is today, but is there a certain path that the continents will follow?

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Dorm Earning

Geology is hardly my strongest forte, however, the earth area is finite in volume. If the continents are seperating, then perhaps over a much more lengthier time, the continents will either:
1. Suffer crumbling from the plates
2. Or we might find that they will meet again
3. Or finally that they are submerged in water because of global warming
Though the last answer here must be reconsidered. One day i decided to put ice cubes into an already (nearly full) glass of water and let them melt. As i suspected, the volume of the water was hardly raised... not really anything startling at all. I applied the same principle to earth... and i raised a question to a friend, a scientist called ''Fred Alan Wolf.'' He agrees that the global warming debate can be falsified by using this analogy. He too also feels that the volume of earth's water will rise, but only by vanishingly small numbers.
Neo

Yeah, I don't see three happening either. If anything, what will happen is that the water levels will rise a small bit, about a few inches will disappear from the sides of the continents and then they will head on back to join together once again. In a million years, there will definitely be new mountain ranges.

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Dorm Earning

Jacob
I'd agree... Most definately.
Neo

Did i say geology? I mean't to say geography... Sorry about that incoherent statement! :-)
Neo

No, you were right. Geology is the study of rocks and the such. Geography has to do with land, like you'd learn in history.

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Dorm Earning

You see, that's why i corrected myself here. Isn't geology the study of minerals, whilst geology is the study of maps and continents? Here i get awefully confused :rolleyes:

Yes, geology is the study of rocks and minerals and all of that while geography is what people use to create maps and the such. :P

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Dorm Earning

The continents aren't going anywhere in a million years. I think the best estimate for the next super continent is not for another 300 million years. Still, needless to say, I highly doubt humans will be on the Earth a million years from now. The population is growing fast, so we're sure to reach the Earth's limit before year 3000. With that extra population comes more pollution.

Even then, the odds of humans not creating a nuclear holocaust (or worse) are tremendous.

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The Nerd Council

htmlmaster
Mmm... We are unsure about so many factors here concerning the human race, and where they are progressing. Whilst i would agree with you that it would take 300 million years before the continents meet again, i am still unsure about whether we will be the ones who will annihilate mankind.
However, i am on your side when it comes to the progression of evolution... after all, the earth has finite resources, and we will more probably use up these resources before we ever reach self-annihilation.
Neo