Earth’s Sixth Ocean? Africa is cracking in half faster than anyone expected

Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh

Africa Splitting

East Africa is tearing apart—literally. A 2,000-mile rift, powered by molten rock from deep inside Earth, is cracking the continent open. Scientists say a new ocean could form. Yes, an ocean.

Hidden Superplume

A monstrous plume of hot, semi-molten rock—rising from the Earth’s core-mantle boundary—is driving the breakup. It’s not just geology; it’s Earth rewriting its own map.

Cracks You Can See

In 2005, a 37-mile fissure opened overnight in Ethiopia. In 2018, another gash ripped across Kenya. These aren’t metaphors. The land is actually breaking.

Fingernail Speed, Earthquake Force

The Somali and Nubian plates are drifting apart at just 0.2 inches per year. But the consequences? Frequent quakes, volcanic chaos, and dramatic landscape fractures.

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Ocean in the Making

Scientists now believe the Red Sea and Indian Ocean will eventually flood the East African Rift, carving out Earth’s sixth ocean—and splitting off a chunk of the continent.

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New Continent Forming

Somalia, eastern Kenya, and Tanzania could one day break away to form a new landmass. Uganda and Zambia might suddenly become coastal nations. Borders will shift. So will power.

GPS Doesn’t Lie

High-precision measurements show the plates are undeniably on the move. The math checks out: this isn't sci-fi—it’s geophysics unfolding in real time.

Deep Earth Clues

By analyzing noble gas isotopes in Kenyan geothermal vents, scientists traced the rift’s power source all the way to the Earth’s outer core. This is no shallow surface drama.

Countdown Starts Now

What once seemed a distant future is now on fast-forward. Some models suggest Africa could split in as little as one million years. A geological blink. The planet is transforming under our feet.