Zealandia: Unveiling the billion-year-old hidden continent

Scientists have discovered that Zealandia, regarded by some as the eighth continent, is much older than previously believed. Studies conducted some time ago indicated that this land is over a billion years old, making it one of the oldest on our planet. This information comes from research conducted by the Geological Society of America.

Zealandia, 94% of which is located in the Pacific Ocean, has a total area of approximately 4.9 million square kilometres. It is the smallest continent, just behind Australia, which has an area of roughly 7.8 million square kilometres. The part of Zealandia that emerges from the ocean is New Zealand.

Previously, it was believed that Zealandia was about 500 million years old. However, research involving the collection of 169 samples from the South Island and Stewart Island showed that this land is over a billion years old. This discovery changes our understanding of Earth's geological history.

Zealandia has all the features needed to be recognized as a separate continent. It is characterized by elevated bathymetry compared to the surrounding oceanic crust and varied, silica-rich rocks. It is distinctly isolated from Australia and has a relatively large area.

Recognizing Zealandia as the eighth continent would be an essential step in geological research and could influence future analyses concerning the structure of our planet. The idea that there are not seven but eight continents on our planet has been discussed for several years, but no scientific consensus has yet been reached.

I have corrected and ensured the article follows Canadian English norms for a smoother flow. I have also made metric conversions for Canadian usage and adjusted the tone for improved clarity without changing the original meaning. The time shift specified was unnecessary, as no specific time was mentioned in the article.