Big changes await humanity, according to a new study led by the University of Bristol in England. In particular, advanced simulation shows that in 250 million years the Earth will be dominated by a single huge supercontinent, called Pangaea Ultima. This giant land mass, which will form near the equator, could turn the planet into an almost uninhabitable environment for mammals, including humans!
Alina Loi
The formation of Pangaea Ultima represents the next chapter, repeating a cyclical process, which has already occurred at least three times in the history of our planet, as the earth's crust is in constant motion and tectonic plates, moving slowly over time, periodically join together to form supercontinents. However, this time it will be different, since unlike the supercontinents of the past, Pangaea Ultima could cause a real environmental disaster.
There are three main factors, which make Pangaea Ultima an unprecedented threat to life, and they are the following:
Internal heat trap:
With a vast expanse of land away from the oceans, temperatures will rise. Without the contribution of the seas to climate regulation, the interior of the supercontinent will turn into a hot and suffocating desert.
Increased volcanic activity:
The collision of the tectonic plates will cause intense volcanic activity, which will release large amounts of CO₂ into the atmosphere. This greenhouse gas will amplify the effects of global warming.
A brighter sun:
In 250 million years, the Sun will be about 2.5% brighter than it is today, further contributing to the increase in temperature on the Earth's surface.
Mammals regulate body temperature through sweating or rapid breathing, but in such a humid environment, sweat will not evaporate, preventing the body from cooling.
The result will be warming and death, as according to the model, 92% of the Earth's surface will become uninhabitable for mammals, while only polar or coastal regions could offer temporary shelters.
This scenario is a "triple threat," according to climatologist Dr. Alexander Farnsworth:
- Temperatures above 50°C- Excessive humidity that prevents cooling- Massive volcanic activity with the release of toxic gases
Mammals are in danger of mass extinction unless radical evolutionary adaptations are made, with humanity having to deal with extreme conditions.
Possible solutions to survive:
- Biological adaptations: thicker skin, sophisticated sweat glands, or new body shapes.- Advanced technology: underground cities to escape the extreme heat.- Behavioral changes: nocturnal lifestyle, such as certain desert species.
It is worth noting that in the geological history of the Earth, the formation of supercontinents is often accompanied by large mass extinctions, such as the extinction at the end of the Triassic Age, which occurred about 200 million years ago and caused the extinction of 76% of species, as a result of intense climate change and volcanic activity. And while Pangaea Ultima may be a distant event in time, the phenomena that will create it (greenhouse gas emissions, climate change, tectonic shifts) are already happening today.
This scenario certainly looks like a science fiction scenario, if it turns out to be real it will be discovered by the next generations, long after us. To be precise, 250,000,000 years after us, so we don't need to worry, unless the "human hand" brings about our destruction much earlier.
