AFRICA is Splitting: Scientists Found the Sixth Ocean Beneath Earth's Surface

Recent scientific discoveries reveal a vast hidden water reservoir in Earth's mantle, potentially rivaling all surface oceans. This water, bound within minerals like ringwoodite, is part of the transition zone between the upper and lower mantle. Meanwhile, in Africa's Afar region, tectonic activity is gradually forming a new ocean as the Somali and Nubian plates diverge. This rifting will eventually create a new ocean basin, splitting the continent over 5-10 million years. These findings challenge our understanding of Earth's water distribution and highlight the dynamic interactions between the planet’s interior processes and surface changes.