Plate tectonic surprise: Geologist unexpectedly finds remnants of a lost mega-plate

Read more at In this video: Utrecht University geologist Suzanna van de Lagemaat has reconstructed a massive and previously unknown tectonic plate that was once one-quarter the size of the Pacific Ocean. Her colleagues in Utrecht had already predicted the existence of the plate years ago, based on fragments of old tectonic plates found deep in the earth’s mantle. Van de Lagemaat reconstructed lost plates through field research and detailed investigations of the mountains of Japan, Borneo, the Philippines, New Guinea and New Zealand. To her astonishment, she found that oceanic remnants on northern Borneo must have belonged to the long-suspected plate, which scientists have named Pontus. She has now reconstructed the entire plate in its full glory. Video Credit: Suzanna van de Lagemaat/Utrecht University Subscribe: Join Science X channel to support our mission: Thank you for helping our YouTube channel reach new heights! Hitting subscribe aids us in our mission to bring you the latest and greatest research news in science, medicine and technology.