Scientists think a continent is buried under Mauritius

Scientists have found evidence that they believe is linked to a formerly undiscovered continent buried under Mauritius.

According to a study published in the journal, Nature Communications, Zircon crystals found on Mauritius are over three billion years old, while the island itself is only eight million years old. Zircon crystals are part of granite that forms the crust of continents.

Similar previous studies were criticized for their lack of authenticity, as experts had remarked that the zircon crsytals could have been blown onto the island. The latest study, however, analyzed zircons in trachyte rocks that only form as a result of a volcanic eruption.      

Lead author on the paper, Lewis Ashwal of University of the Witwatersrand said: “The fact that we have found zircons of this age proves that there are much older crustal materials under Mauritius that could only have originated from a continent.” The new discovery further validates the theory that an island once existed under Mauritius, billions of years ago.

Researchers have proposed that the buried continent, Mauritia, split from the ancient supercontinent Gondwana, which broke up around 200 million years ago.