Gondwana breakup was far faster than thought as Earth tore itself open

Zircon clues point to sudden mantle blasts

New research suggests Gondwana, the ancient supercontinent, didn’t drift apart slowly. Zircon crystals from southern Africa indicate bursts of magma surged from Earth’s mantle around 180 million years ago, weakening the crust in a short span. That trigger likely accelerated continental separation, helping create new ocean basins far earlier than older models predicted.