Recent connection between North and South America reaffirmed
Date:
August 17, 2016
Source:
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Summary:
Long ago, one great ocean flowed between North and South America. When the Isthmus of Panama joined the continents, it also separated the Atlantic from the Pacific Ocean. If this took place much earlier than the accepted date of 3 million years ago as recently asserted by some, the implications for both land and sea life would be revolutionary. A new paper firmly set the date at 2.8 million years ago.
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FULL STORY
A cargo ship in the Panama Canal traverses volcanic rocks that helped form the Isthmus of Panama.
Credit: Aaron O'Dea
Long ago, one great ocean flowed between North and South America. When the narrow Isthmus of Panama joined the continents about 3 million years ago, it also separated the Atlantic from the Pacific Ocean. If this took place millions of years earlier, as recently asserted by some, the implications for both land and sea life would be revolutionary. Aaron O'Dea, staff scientist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), and colleagues writing in Science Advances firmly set the date at 2.8 million years ago.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/08/160817142751.htm
