East Africa's Rift Is Splitting the Continent, Potentially Creating a New Ocean
New measurements show the East African Rift widening faster than models predicted, thinning crust and forming early oceanic crust as the Nubian, Somali, and Arabian plates diverge at Afar. If this continues, Africa could split into two and a new ocean basin may form in 5–10 million years, with significant seismic, infrastructure, and geothermal implications for the region.