How did scientists discover the supercontinent called Pangaea?

About 300 million years ago, Earth didn't have seven continents, but instead one massive supercontinent called Pangaea, which was surrounded by a single ocean called Panthalassa. read more

Wegener died in 1930, well before many of his ideas regarding Pangea and continental drift were vindicated. Other scientists, however, such as South African geologist Alexander Du Toit, continued to collect evidence in support of continental drift. read more

This hypothesis is called Pangaea because the Greek word "pan" means "all" and Gaea or Gaia (or Ge) was the Greek name of the divine personification of the Earth. Pangaea, therefore, means "all the Earth." Around the single protocontinent or Pangaea was a single ocean called Panthalassa (all the sea). read more

Pangea, also spelled Pangaea, was a supercontinent that existed on the Earth millions of years ago and covered about one-third of its surface. A supercontinent is a very large landmass that is made up of more than one continent. In the case of Pangea, nearly all of the Earth's continents were connected into one large landmass. read more

Every so often (that is, every several hundred million years or so), the conditions are such that most or all of the continents come together to form a single larger landmass called a supercontinent. read more

Pangea, also spelled Pangaea, was a supercontinent that existed on the Earth millions of years ago and covered about one-third of its surface. A supercontinent is a very large landmass that is made up of more than one continent. In the case of Pangea nearly all of the Earth's continents were connected into one large landmass. read more