New study expands Gondwana's size to roughly 80% of ancient landmass
Researchers have identified additional Precambrian fragments that push Gondwana's coverage to about 80% of Earth's land area during the Cambrian.
Scientists from the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences have pieced together new evidence that Gondwana was far larger than previously thought. By examining data from more than 25,000 igneous rocks, they identified concealed Precambrian fragments now situated in southeastern Asia, central Europe and southeastern North America. These fragments, once part of Gondwana but later embedded in younger orogenic belts, increase the supercontinent's estimated land coverage to about 80% of Earth's landmass during the Cambrian period.
Earlier studies had placed Gondwana at roughly 64% of land area. The researchers argue that this size comfortably meets the threshold for supercontinent status and may have influenced the Cambrian explosion of life. Their work appears in Science Advances and calls the reconstructed landmass "Greater Gondwana."
