this post was submitted on 17 Sep 2024
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Today I Learned

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[–] [email protected] 63 points 2 months ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 14 points 2 months ago (1 children)

That's in Frisia/whatever fake country controls it for now

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeeland

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago

Friesland is a province, smh

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Here's me hoping the next cataclysm drains the oceans by a few hundred feet so we can establish New Old Zealand 🇳🇿

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[–] [email protected] 37 points 2 months ago (6 children)

If submerged land can be called continents, where's the line between what is and isn't a continent?

[–] [email protected] 37 points 2 months ago

I think the reason Zealandia is called a "submerged continent" is because it is made of continental crust rather than oceanic crust.

But IMO the best geologic definition of continents is by tectonic plates, which mostly matches up with the cultural definitions of the continents.

For the major continents, we have these plates:

  • North American
  • South American
  • Eurasian
  • African
  • Australian
  • Antarctic

There are several smaller plates too, like the Caribbean, Indian, and Arabian plates. IMO, we should consider these independent continents.

There is also a dedicated Pacific plate. The ring of fire is the border of this plate.

New Zealand / Zealandia is on the ring of fire. Half on the Australian plate, half on the Pacific plate. You can actually see the border of the two plates when you look at the topographical map of Zealandia.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Oceanic crust is heavier, denser, and composed of different rocks than continental crust.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 months ago

It's just this, just simple geology.

The water level is actually irrelevant.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 2 months ago (1 children)

The OP states it was part of Gondwana, maybe that's what makes it different.

If you click through to the microcontinent link that seems to support the idea of microcontinents being pieces broken off a bigger one. But with everything coming from Gondwana then that means all the existing ones are fragments, and the only reason other fragments aren't considered continents is size (e.g. Madigascar).

Zealandia seems to be the Pluto of continents. Too small to be a continent but much larger than the largest microcontinent.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 months ago (1 children)

It's why there are a lot of cool dinosaurs found only in New Zealand btw

[–] [email protected] 20 points 2 months ago (5 children)

I live in New Zealand and haven't found any dinosaurs. I think they all died.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Did you check the other island? There's lots man

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago

I didn't! But I'll be sure to check the other ones next time I visit.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Nope, they're all around you and me and everyone else. They just evolved into things that (usually) have wings. In terms of phylogeny, they're dinosaurs.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago

Well, maybe in theory. NZ has many unique birds not found anywhere else, but they are generally threatened or endangered. If you want to see them in the wild, generally you have to go to a very specific location.

If I look outside, almost certainly all I'll see are European dinosaurs.

So maybe I should correct my statement to say they almost all died out.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago

I hereby promise to give you back your dinosaurs, starting with a clone of the T-Rex.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago

You should double check just to make sure.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Geographical continents and geological continents aren't quite the same thing.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago

That Civilization 6 uses geological continents when the 'continent' key word is used where every other game in the series uses geographical continents for that key word still bugs me.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago (1 children)

That's a debate that transcends culture. Some cultures say there are seven, some say six, and yet others say five.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Seven is wrong no matter your definition of continent, unless you count New Zealand or "because racism."

Depending on your definition there are between four and nine continents, but the definition that includes Europe to make a total of seven necessitates India being its own continent without racism being the primary reason why Europe is a continent and India is not.

(Also if it transcended culture it wouldn't depend on culture for the answer)

(Also some people do say there are seven, because India is a continent with a land barrier and a tectonic plate and Europe is not)

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Isn't all of Asia and Europe and Africa connected? I count 4.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago

And that's valid, if your definition is just continuous land masses. However, some definitions incorporate ideas of notable narrowings such as the African and Central American connections and continental plates, or even projected drift.

For example, some day the Americas and Africa/Eurasia will separate from continental drift. Some even argue the Americas already are separated thanks to the Panana Canal, humans just hurried the process along.

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[–] [email protected] 31 points 2 months ago (1 children)

So NZ is technically a mountaintop. Cool!

[–] iAmTheTot 57 points 2 months ago (2 children)

All land above water is a mountain top, at a certain scale.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

And all continents are islands at a certain scale.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Slightly off topic, but this film can be enjoyed as:

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Mannnnnn, I wanna live on a billion year old, largely submerged continent. Shit looks dope af. And they seemed to kind win at Pandemic. Great share, thanks!

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago (6 children)

Just give it a few years. The continent you are currently on will be largely submerged soon enough.

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[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

All this time we've been keeping our true power hidden.

Also, if you mention Zealandia in New Zealand, people will look at you blankly and say "The bird sanctuary?"

[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 months ago

With rising sea levels it might end up as No Zealand

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago

Worldbuilding enthusiasts start heavy breathing

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Isn't it called Oceania? Or are they different?

[–] [email protected] 14 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Oceania tends to refer to the region, including both Australia, New Zealand, Melanesia, Micronesia, and the many small island nations.

Sometimes, we are "collectivly" treated as a continent, despite being almost all island nations with no land boarders.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago

Well we don’t call you landiania

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago (3 children)

Wait until you hear about Doggerland.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago (3 children)

Try pointing to New Zealand on a map. I dare you

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago (2 children)

I mean it's next to Australia, pretty easy to spot ngl

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago

That's actually Tasmania.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

My favourite map without NZ, was a map that included the southern island but not the northern island. So the country was unrecognisable.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago

See. It's not there

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Ok.

*Points at the part with land.*

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Zealandia shall rise again!

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

I believe Atlas Pro did a video on it one time. I'll go check.

Edit: Yep

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago

wtf it looks like a fat New Zealand. is there an even slimmer version inside NZ?

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