What are the early continents on Earth? (2)

The early continents on Earth were part of a dynamic process of continental drift, driven by plate tectonics. Earth’s landmasses were not always as they are today but have gone through various configurations, forming supercontinents that later broke apart. Here are some of the major early continents and supercontinents:

5. Rodinia (1.3 billion – 750 million years ago)

Rodinia was a supercontinent that existed during the late Proterozoic Eon, around 1.3 billion to 750 million years ago. It was one of the first large supercontinents and included most of Earth’s continental landmasses. Rodinia’s breakup likely triggered a global ice age known as “Snowball Earth,” a period of extensive glaciation.

6. Pannotia (600 – 540 million years ago)

Pannotia formed after the breakup of Rodinia around 600 million years ago and lasted until about 540 million years ago, just before the Cambrian Explosion. This supercontinent was relatively short-lived and began breaking apart as new oceans opened up, leading to the formation of smaller continents.

7. Gondwana and Laurasia (from 500 million years ago)

Gondwana was a major supercontinent that existed from the late Precambrian into the Mesozoic Era. It included modern-day South America, Africa, Antarctica, Australia, and the Indian subcontinent.

Laurasia formed from the northern fragments of Pannotia and later Rodinia and included what are now North America, Europe, and Asia.

8. Pangaea (335 – 175 million years ago)

Pangaea is perhaps the most well-known supercontinent. It existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras, from around 335 to 175 million years ago. Pangaea brought together most of Earth’s landmasses into a single supercontinent. It eventually began to break apart due to tectonic forces, leading to the modern configuration of continents.

Each of these supercontinents played a role in shaping Earth’s geology and climate, influencing the evolution of life as continents drifted, collided, and broke apart over billions of years.