UNIVERSE OF NATURE

Millions of years before modern humans appeared on Earth, a massive prehistoric ocean may have transformed the landscape of Central Asia forever. Researchers from the University of Adelaide in Australia discovered new geological evidence suggesting that the ancient Tethys Ocean played a major role in forming the mountainous terrain of Central Asia during the Cretaceous period, between 145 and 66 million years ago. The discovery is changing how scientists understand Earth’s geological history, tectonic plate movements, and the evolution of continents. It also highlights how ancient oceans influenced some of today’s most dramatic mountain systems. This finding could reshape modern geological models and provide new insights into climate evolution, sediment transport, and the formation of natural resources. What Was the Tethys Ocean? The Tethys Ocean was a vast ancient ocean that existed between the supercontinents Gondwana and Laurasia. It covered enormous parts of the planet fo...