Derby: A recent controversial study suggests that geography textbooks should be rewritten.
Experts argue that while we were growing up, we learned that Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Oceania, Europe, North America, and South America make up seven continents.
However, a study published in the Gondwana Research journal claims that, in reality, there are only six continents.
Researchers at the University of Derby examined the breakup of Europe and North America over time and the geological factors behind it.
They found that this breakup is still ongoing. Dr. Jordan Fithian, the lead author of the study, told Earth.com that the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates have not completely separated as traditionally thought, a process believed to have occurred 52 million years ago.
Iceland was a focal point of the study, as the volcanic island is believed to have formed around 60 million years ago due to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
Dr. Jordan said that these tectonic plates are still spreading and have not yet fully separated.
Therefore, the authors of the paper argued that North America and Europe should be considered as one continent rather than two separate continents.