Started an argument with my much smarter wife because she said North and South America are not two separate continents. She was right, because continents are only defined by convention.

    • Denvil
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      351 month ago

      According to the image on Wikipedia depicting the plates, there would then be 17 continents, although some of those 17 would be entirely ocean, or only small islands

        • rockerface 🇺🇦
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          141 month ago

          Lots of island chains are actually mountain chains partially hidden underwater. And mountain chains usually appear where two tectonic plates ram into one another, causing one of them to bunch up.

        • @Klear
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          01 month ago

          They do like to play baseball.

      • @AA5B
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        91 month ago

        I’m really surprised this is the first time I’ve seen Africa as two continents. The Great Rift Valley is well known but I just hadn’t heard going the next logical step

        • @[email protected]
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          41 month ago

          The Red Sea is actually just another rift valley along the same edge of the plate. It just filled in with water first.

        • @Klear
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          -11 month ago

          These are not continents. The image is more of an illustration of why tectonic plates are not a good way to redefine continents not be arbitrary.

      • Lemminary
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        11 month ago

        That map is pure chaotic good vibes.

    • @SmoothLiquidation
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      331 month ago

      And then India is no longer in Eurasia. Or you could say that Los Angeles is not in North America.

      • @[email protected]
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        1 month ago

        Los Angeles is not in North America

        I don’t see a problem with that.

        Plus, by tectonic plates, isn’t it America, since N/C/S America are on the same plate, right? (I don’t trust my memory of school from decades ago).

      • @[email protected]
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        61 month ago

        India is usually considered a subcontinent. West Coast is a geologic mess until resolved.