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Pangaea was the most recent supercontinent, existing from about 335 to 175 million years ago. It united almost all of Earth’s landmasses into one giant, C-shaped landmass surrounded by a single global ocean called Panthalassa. The massive continent eventually broke apart due to tectonic plate movement, forming the continents we know today. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

How Pangaea Formed and Looked

Pangaea was not the first supercontinent, but it is the most famous. It assembled through plate tectonics over millions of years as earlier continental fragments (like Gondwana and Euramerica) collided. [1, 2]

The Environment: Because of its immense size, Pangaea’s vast interior experienced extreme temperature contrasts and intense seasonal monsoons.Life: During its existence, it hosted early reptiles, primitive mammals, and eventually the first dinosaurs before they diversified. [1, 2]The BreakupAround 175 million years ago, Pangaea began to fracture. It first split into two smaller supercontinents: Laurasia in the north and Gondwana in the south. [1, 2, 3, 4]Laurasia eventually divided into North America, Europe, and Asia.Gondwana broke apart to form South America, Africa, Australia, Antarctica, and India.
This ongoing separation eventually widened the rift into the modern Atlantic Ocean. [1, 2]Evidence for PangaeaThe concept of Pangaea was first proposed by meteorologist Alfred Wegener in 1912. Today, the theory is strongly supported by multiple lines of scientific evidence: [1, 2, 3]Geology: Matching rock types and mountain ranges (such as the Appalachians in North America and the Caledonian Mountains in Europe) align across now-separated continents. [1]Fossils: Identical land-dwelling fossils and ancient plant life have been discovered on continents thousands of miles apart (e.g., the reptile Mesosaurus in both South America and Africa). [1]Ocean Floor: Satellite tracking and magnetic striping on the ocean floor demonstrate that tectonic plates continue to move and the Atlantic Ocean is actively widening. [1]