Pangée

Pangée was a supercontinent that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras. It was formed roughly 335 million years ago and began to break apart about 175 million years ago. The name "Pangée" comes from the Greek words pan (all) and gaia (earth), reflecting its vast size and composition of nearly all Earth's landmasses.

Scientists believe Pangée was assembled through a series of continental collisions. Its existence significantly influenced global climate and ocean currents. The presence of a single, massive landmass led to extensive arid regions in its interior, while coastal areas experienced different climates. The breakup of Pangée is a major part of the theory of plate tectonics, explaining the formation of the Atlantic Ocean and the current arrangement of continents.

The breakup of Pangée occurred in stages. Initially, it rifted into two large supercontinents: Laurasia to the north and Gondwana to the south. Later, these also fragmented, eventually leading to the configuration of the continents we recognize today. The study of Pangée and its breakup provides crucial insights into Earth's geological history, the evolution of life, and the dynamics of our planet's lithosphere.