Tethys Ocean implicated in Pangaea breakup

New perspective suggests need to rethink mechanism behind supercontinent’s demise

Pangaea supercontinent

BREAKUP  The narrowing of the Tethys Ocean between early Eurasia and Africa tore apart the ancient Pangaea supercontinent, illustrated here during its fragmentation 150 million years ago, new research suggests.

Ron Blakey/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Pangaea’s breakup may have been an outside job.