Scientists Found the Missing 16% of Earth’s Lost Supercontinent Hiding in the Himalayas

A Supercontinent Forever Changed Life on Earth Ianm35 - Getty Images Here's what you'll learn when you read this story:

Gondwana, Earth's second-youngest supercontinent, formed just as complex animal life emerged.

A new study argues that Gondwana accounted for roughly 80 percent of the Earth's continental mass (14 percent more that previously believed) and caused the creation of a volcanic chain, similar to today's Ring of Fire, that released water vapor and carbon dioxide, making the planet more hospitable for life.

Scientists made this breakthrough after collecting granite samples in the Himalayas and finding evidence that the rocks originated from a common block—Gondwana.