Started an argument with my much smarter wife because she said North and South America are not two separate continents. She was right, because continents are only defined by convention.

  • Denvil@lemmy.one
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    5 days ago

    According to the image on Wikipedia depicting the plates, there would then be 17 continents, although some of those 17 would be entirely ocean, or only small islands

      • rockerface 🇺🇦@lemm.ee
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        4 days ago

        Lots of island chains are actually mountain chains partially hidden underwater. And mountain chains usually appear where two tectonic plates ram into one another, causing one of them to bunch up.

    • AA5B@lemmy.world
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      5 days ago

      I’m really surprised this is the first time I’ve seen Africa as two continents. The Great Rift Valley is well known but I just hadn’t heard going the next logical step

      • hansolo@lemm.ee
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        3 days ago

        The Red Sea is actually just another rift valley along the same edge of the plate. It just filled in with water first.

      • Klear@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        These are not continents. The image is more of an illustration of why tectonic plates are not a good way to redefine continents not be arbitrary.