What was the Pangea on Earth?
Pangaea, or Pangea, was a supercontinent that existed approximately 335 to 175 million years ago, spanning the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras. It comprised most of Earth’s landmasses and eventually fragmented due to tectonic plate movements, giving rise to the present continents. According to the theory of plate tectonics, Pangaea separated into two supercontinents, Laurasia and Gondwana, around 200 million years ago in the Triassic period. Over the subsequent Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, these supercontinents gradually drifted apart, forming the continents we recognize today. Pangaea’s significance in ancient history is evident through the distribution of mountain ranges and fossils, illustrating Earth’s dynamic geological past. Understanding Pangaea is fundamental to grasping how Earth’s continents have shifted and rearranged over millions of years.