Zealandia: New Zealand Sits Above The Recently Discovered Continent, Reaserach Claims

Reports show that scientists recently discovered a hidden continent called Zealandia. The discovered continent is mostly drenched beneath the South Pacific. Thus, New Zealand sits above the recently discovered continent.

According to the researchers, Zealandia was a distinct geological entity. It also meets the criteria that have been applied on the Earth's seven continents. It includes that distinctive ecology, the surrounding areas elevated above, that is well defined. Its crust is much thicker than the ones found on the ocean floor, as Phys.org reported.

Researchers said that Zealandia measures up to 5 million square kilometers, about 1.9 million square miles. However, 94 percent of it is submerged underwater. The paper was published in the Journal Geological Society of America.

The authors of the paper said that it has only three major land masses. These are the New Zealand's North and South Islands to the south and the New Caledonia to the North.

The researchers whom mostly came from the New Zealand official research body GNS Science added that Zealandia was once part of the super-continent of Gondwana. However, it separated away around 100 million years ago.

The researchers wrote that, "The scientific value of classifying Zealandia as a continent is much more than just an extra name on a list. That a continent can be so submerged yet unfragmented makes it (useful)... in exploring the cohesion and breakup of continental crust."

The research lead author, Nick Mortimer, mentioned that the scientists have been gathering data to make the case for the continent Zealandia for more than 20 years already. However, the efforts are quite frustrating for them because most of the parts that were hidden underneath the waves.

Mortimer told the TVNZ that, "If we could pull the plug on the oceans, it would be clear to everybody that we have mountain chains and a big, high-standing continent."

Mortimer concluded that the discovery of this kind proves that the even the large and the noticeable in natural science can also be overlooked, according to Fox News.