Prakash Kafle / Kathmandu. Recently, there has been increasing discussion in various news platforms and social media about the headline “the Earth is breaking into two parts.” However, scientists have clarified that this is not an immediate danger but a long-term natural process of the Earth. In reality, although the Earth’s outer surface appears solid, it is divided into various tectonic plates, a phenomenon known as plate tectonics. These plates are continuously moving, although at an extremely slow pace, due to the heat of magma and internal pressure within the Earth.
A major example of this process is observed in the East African Rift system in the eastern part of Africa. This vast rift, stretching from Ethiopia to Mozambique, shows that the African Plate is gradually splitting into two parts—the Nubian Plate and the Somali Plate. These plates are moving away from each other at a rate of about 2 to 3 centimeters per year. The sudden appearance of a 35-mile-long crack in Ethiopia in 2005 and a large fissure seen in Kenya in 2018 further confirmed this process. Such continuous movement over a long period may eventually lead to the division of the African continent into two parts.
According to scientists, if this process continues at the same pace, Africa could split into two parts within the next 5 to 10 million years, and a new ocean may form in between. This will completely change the world map, just as in the past when the supercontinent called Pangaea split into the present seven continents. Continental drift is a process that has been continuously occurring throughout Earth’s history.
However, it is not necessary to consider this as a frightening event. From a scientific perspective, this is a natural process of Earth’s restructuring. But as a result, activities such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, land cracking, and changes in sea level may increase, which can affect local life and the environment. Scientists are continuously monitoring these activities using modern technologies such as satellites and GPS.
Therefore, the claim that “the Earth is breaking into two parts” should not be understood as an immediate threat. Since this process occurs over millions of years, it does not directly impact human life in the present. Instead, it highlights the scientific fact that the Earth is constantly changing. The cracks and fissures seen at present are merely evidence of the Earth’s dynamic nature and internal forces. It is necessary to understand this as an interesting subject of science rather than something to fear.
पृथ्वीको आयु सकिन लागेको हो? वैज्ञानिकहरूको यो चेतावनीले विश्वभर मच्चियो खैलाबैला! के यो साँचो हो???
