Siberia and America once represented a single continent! This sensational conclusion was reached by scientists from the Institute of the Earth's Crust of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, who for 15 years have been conducting research together with American, Canadian and Swedish colleagues. Recently, a corresponding scientific article was published in the journal Nature Geoscience. The correspondent of "MK" contacted the head of the study, the director of the IZK SB RAS Dmitry GLADKOCHUB.
“The arguments in favor of the existence of the Siberian-American continent in the Precambrian period (from 1 billion 800 million years ago to 700 million years ago) were obtained by us using very precise isotopic determinations of the age of indicator rocks,” says Gladkochub.
Previously, scientists were convinced that Siberia and North America were different continents, or rather cratons (formations smaller in size than the continents). Now it turns out that North America was united with us much earlier, before the formation of Eurasia.
Ancient affinity with the Americans, as it turned out, was established by "fingerprints." Like humans, geological complexes also have certain markers of kinship. Scientists compared rocks that are located in North America (studies were carried out in Canada) and in Eastern Siberia (on the territory of the Irkutsk region), and found that they have a common nature. The researchers were "told" about this by special indicators.
- Indicators in this case were basalt rocks, which are formed under strictly defined geological conditions, - explains the director of the institute. - Their age, composition and paleomagnetic characteristics in North America and Siberia turned out to be exactly the same.
Interestingly, in order to determine the relationship, the rocks did not even have to be drilled, scientists only had to take rock samples directly from their surface. In fact, the material lay under their feet.
“We have established seven completely identical features of rocks, which tell us that we are talking about a single continent that existed in the distant past,” says Dmitry Gladkochub. - I think our conclusions will be interesting for the whole world. Imagine, someday our Eurasia will collapse, and people in the future will study not only its history, but also the ancient continents, they will learn that Siberia and North America, though without homo sapiens, were together for 1 billion 200 million years old! When Siberia separated from North America, the Paleo-Asian Ocean was opened, which existed on Earth in one form or another until the formation of Eurasia.
Natalia Vedeneeva
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