Plate Tectonics Collection

Continental drift after 250 million years, showing the supercontinent of Pangea Ultima, which was named for the ancient supercontinent of Pangea

Map of the Word with lines marking boundaries of tectonic plates

Continental drift, 100 million years ago. Map of the Earth showing the continents some 100 million years after the start of the break-up of the ancient supercontinent of Pangea

Illustration of tectonic plates moving past each other (transform boundary)

Illustration of tectonic plates moving apart (divergent boundary)

Illustration of tectonic plates moving together (convergent boundary), creating mountains

Alfred Lothar Wegener, German geophysicist and meteorologist. Wegener (1880-1930) formulated the theory of Continental Drift (Wegener Hypothesis), published in 1915

Theory of Continental Drift, 1922. Diagram from an article by Alfred Wegener (1880-1930) on his theory of Continental Drift, published in Discovery, London, 1922

Diagram of the Earth during the Carboniferous period, 1922. Land is represented by the unshaded areas, deep sea by the areas shaded with diagonal lines and shallow water with horizontal lines

Earth at time of Pangea
Future Earth. Computer artwork of the position of Earths continents around 250 million years in the future. A new supercontinent, Pangea Ultima, has formed

APEX02722WT027
Tectonic plates collide in Pingvellir in Iceland

Illustration of an earthquake

Western hemisphere of the Earth during the Early Jurassic period
This is how the western hemisphere of the Earth may have appeared 200 million years ago during the Early Jurassic period. North is at the top

The Kamchatka Peninsula of far eastern Russian
May 23, 2013 - The Kamchatka Peninsula of far eastern Russian was surrounded by life in late May 2013, at least the oceanic sort

Earth supercontinents, artwork C015 / 1916
Earth supercontinents. Artwork showing three of the supercontinents that have formed during the history of the Earth. From top to bottom, and oldest to youngest

Pangea break-up, global maps C018 / 0292
Pangea break-up, global maps (elliptical projections). The Pangea supercontinent formed about 300 million years ago, in the late Paleozoic Era (around the start of the Permian Period)

Early Earth globe, artwork C016 / 3733
Early Earth globe, artwork. On this early Earth, the first continents are forming with clouds present in the atmosphere. On the existing land masses, there is widespread volcanic activity

Continental drift after 100 million years. Map of the Earth showing the continents some 100 million years in the future, and 300 million years after the start of the break-up of the ancient

Continental drift, modern era. Map of the Earth showing the continents as they are today, 200 million years after the start of the break-up of the ancient supercontinent of Pangea

Rift where earth is splitting at plate boundary, Grotagja, Lake Myvatn region, north east area, Iceland, Polar Regions

Illustration of plate movement

Illustration of thrust faulting, causing blocks of crust to stack up above one another

Illustration of two cross section blocks of earth divided by fault line

Illustration of collapsed section of the Earths crust forming rift valley

Illustration of folds forming in the Earths crust

Illustration of mountain formation (left) and volcanic activity (right) including erupting stratovol

Illustration of three globes and development of continents, 200 million years ago, 50 million years ago, and present day

Illustration of rows of trees near San Andreas fault line that have moved sideways from the rest of the orchard due to earth movements

View of the Indian subcontinent during the Late Cretaceous period
This is how the Indian subcontinent may have appeared 70 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period. Looking north

View of Earth 650 million years ago during the Marinoan glaciation
This is how the Earth may have appeared about 650 million years ago during a period when snow and ice may have covered most, if not all, of the Earths surface and oceans

Satellite view of Tahiti
Natural-color image of Tahiti. This island is part of a volcanic chain formed by the northwestward movement of the Pacific Plate over a fixed hotspot

The Western Interior Seaway as seen 75 million years ago from Earth orbit
This is how the Western Interior Seaway may have appeared 75 million years ago from Earth orbit. This large inland sea once divided the North American continent into two landmasses

Planet Earth 600 million years ago following the Cryogenian period
This is how the Earth may have appeared 600 million years ago following the Cryogenian Snowball Earth period. The worldwide glaciers have melted and the ocean is largely liquid again

Tectonic Plates
Pingvellir National PArk, Iceland. Here you see the split between the North America and Eurasia tectonic plates

Model of the Earth showing the plates on the earths surface, red dots showing eruptions of volcanoes

Model of the Earths surface broken up like a jigsaw

Model of the earth during the Jurassic period before the continents had taken the present day shapes and locations. Scattered pieces of North America, South America and Africa are visible

Model, globe of the Earth during the Cretaceous period, time of the dinosaurs with the continents scattered in unfamiliar shapes and locations

East Pacific Rise, topographic map
East Pacific Rise. Topographic map of the seabed of the Pacific Ocean around part of the East Pacific Rise (red), a mid-ocean ridge that runs northwards from near Antarctica to the Gulf of

Erta Ale volcano lava lake, Ethiopia C016 / 9673
Erta Ale volcano lava lake. The Erta Ale basaltic shield volcano is located in the Danakil depression, Ethiopia. It has an active lava lake around 100 metres in diameter

Lava lake volcanic activity, Ethiopia C016 / 9675
Lava lake volcanic activity. Lava fountains breaking through the crust on the surface of the lava lake of the Erta Ale basaltic shield volcano, located in the Danakil depression, Ethiopia

Lava lake volcanic fissures, Ethiopia C016 / 9676
Lava lake volcanic fissures. Glowing pattern of fissures in the crust on the surface of the lava lake of the Erta Ale basaltic shield volcano, located in the Danakil depression, Ethiopia

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Plate tectonics, the fascinating process responsible for shaping our Earth's surface over millions of years. Continental drift after 250 million years has transformed our planet into what we see today. A map of the world with lines marking boundaries of tectonic plates reveals the intricate puzzle-like nature of these massive slabs beneath us. Traveling back in time, continental drift 100 million years ago showcases how landmasses have shifted and rearranged themselves throughout history. Witnessing tectonic plates moving apart at divergent boundaries is truly awe-inspiring. The creation of new crust as magma rises to fill the gap leaves a lasting impression on our dynamic planet. Conversely, when these colossal plates collide at convergent boundaries, mountains rise majestically from their powerful collision. Transform boundaries demonstrate another facet as they showcase plates sliding past each other horizontally. This lateral movement can result in earthquakes that remind us of the immense forces constantly reshaping our world. Alfred Lothar Wegener, a German geophysicist and meteorologist, introduced his groundbreaking Theory of Continental Drift in 1922. His theory challenged conventional wisdom and sparked a revolution in understanding Earth's geological processes. Accompanied by diagrams depicting Earth during the Carboniferous period and Pangea, we gain insight into ancient landscapes that existed long before humanity walked this earth. The illustration capturing an earthquake serves as a stark reminder that they can not just historical events but ongoing phenomena with real-world consequences for those living near fault lines. Intricate and ever-changing, plate tectonics continue to shape our world—unveiling both its beauty and power while reminding us of its constant evolution through time.