Asia from space (Image: Getty)
Scientists have warned that a surprisingly fast moving continent is on a collision course with Asia – a natural but potentially dangerous event that will change the world as we know it.
Australia is creeping northwards (moving 2.8 inches every year to be exact) and it will one day collide with Asia. And although we are talking millions of years, the consequences of the geological alterations and reshaping of the landscape will be monumental.
Plate tectonics have long been moving the Earth’s continents and since Australia drifted from Antarctica it has been slowly etching north. But scientists believe this will eventually lead to the Indo-Australian plate hitting Asia, meaning massive climate and biodiversity shifts – not to mention earthquakes, mountain formations and volcanic activity.
Although the collision is a long way off, Australia being steadily on the move is already having an impact, with an increased seismic activity in the region. This has the potential to cause earthquakes and professor Zheng-Xiang Li, of Curtin University, has been studying this for years.
The still blue waters of Sydney harbour (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
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“Whether we like it or not, the Australian continent is going to collide with Asia,” he warned back in 2009. He added: “Australia is moving northwards 7cms every year, towards Asia. Its very real, that’s the same speed that our finger nails grow each year.
“We believe that the Earth evolves in a cyclic pattern, where the continents move apart and now are moving back together. When the continents come together, the earth’s crust will form a sort of ring of fire around the new super-continent.”
Such tectonic activity once formed the Great Barrier Reef when Australia moved into tropical waters – and other monumental changes will happen as it continues to travel north.
The continent of Australia is moving northwards at a surprising speed (Image: Getty Images)
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One of the things that makes Australia unique is its kangaroos, wombats and platypus, but how would they be impacted when the land merges with Asia?
This has led to mixed theories by scientists – with some fearing Asian mammals could make Australia’s animals instinct. Others believe wombats, possums, and tree kangaroos could thrive in the new environment.
As mentioned, the movement of Australia is already causing issues for today’s generation. Back in 2016, it was found that Australia’s GPS coordinate system was off by 1.5 metres before the official coordinates had to be updated.
Some experts fear kangaroos could become extinct if they shared the same land as Asia (Image: Getty Images)
The agriculture, motor and aviation industries also face problems, with navigating systems, infrastructure and satellite mapping needing constant updates to avoid critical disruptions because of the movement of the continent.
However, the drifting of plate tectonics is a natural process and impossible to stop, and it will create changes for millions of years. And asked if humans will still be here to see the full impact of Australia colliding with Asia, professor Zheng-Xiang Li simply replied: “I hope so.”