Pangea, the Ancient Supercontinent, Poses Potential Threat to Humanity

By Amy Woodyatt | CNN

A prediction by researchers suggests that the formation of a new “supercontinent” in approximately 250 million years could lead to the extinction of humans and other mammals currently existing.

Using advanced supercomputer climate models, scientists from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom have anticipated the intensification of climate extremes following the merging of the world’s continents into a single supercontinent called Pangea Ultima in the future.

The study indicates that the supercontinent would be extremely hot, dry, and inhospitable for humans and mammals, who lack the evolutionary ability to withstand prolonged exposure to excessive heat.

The researchers simulated temperature, wind, rain, and humidity patterns for the supercontinent and incorporated models of tectonic plate movement, ocean chemistry, and biology to calculate levels of carbon dioxide.

Their findings suggest that the formation of Pangea Ultima would lead to more frequent volcanic eruptions, releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and exacerbating global warming. Additionally, the sun would emit more energy and further heat up the Earth. These findings were published in the journal Nature Geoscience.

Alexander Farnsworth, senior research associate at the University of Bristol and lead author of the study, stated, “The newly-emerged supercontinent would effectively create a triple whammy comprising the continentality effect, hotter sun, and increased CO2 in the atmosphere,” in a press release.

Farnsworth added, “Widespread temperatures of between 40 to 50 degrees Celsius (104 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit) and even greater daily temperature variations, combined with high humidity levels, would ultimately lead to our demise. Humans, along with numerous other species, would succumb to the inability to regulate body temperature through sweating, leading to overheating.”

According to Farnsworth, the increased heat would result in a lack of food and water sources for mammals.

Although predictions about the distant future carry uncertainties, the scientists involved in the study paint a bleak picture, with only 8% to 16% of the supercontinent’s land being habitable for mammals.

According to the report, carbon dioxide levels could be double the current levels, assuming that humans cease burning fossil fuels now. Benjamin Mills, a professor of Earth system evolution at the University of Leeds and a co-author of the study, stated in the press release that without immediate action, these numbers could be reached much sooner.

The authors of the report caution against complacency in addressing the current climate crisis. Human-induced climate change already leads to millions of deaths worldwide each year.

Eunice Lo, research fellow in climate change and health at the University of Bristol and co-author of the study, emphasized, “While we are predicting an uninhabitable planet in 250 million years, today we are already experiencing extreme heat that is detrimental to human health. This is why it is crucial to achieve net-zero emissions as soon as possible.”

A UN-backed report published last year underscores that climate change is on track to drastically alter life on Earth, rendering billions of people and other species unable to adapt unless global warming is significantly slowed.

For decades, scientists have warned that warming must be kept below 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and the window to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and avoid catastrophic changes is rapidly closing, as reported by CNN.

The most recent mass extinction occurred approximately 66 million years ago, wiping out the dinosaurs and most life on Earth when an asteroid struck the planet.