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The continents are moving, the sea floor as well, at about 2 inches/year. They don't travel very
far over a human life span, but the distance adds up over millions of years.
This simulation, which is based on current data, shows the movement of the continents over the past 140 million years. (Note that time is given in the units "Ma," which means "millions of years ago.")
140 million years ago, dinosaurs roamed the earth. At that time, the continents were all together, forming one land mass called Pangaea. Over the next 140 million years, this land mass broke apart and the pieces travelled to their current positions.
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Note how fast India travels toward Asia about 60 million years ago. The resulting collision, which continues to this day, built the Himalayas. (See close-up of the formation of the Himalayas).
Credit: Alex Copley, Ashley Kennard, Jessica Kim, and Lindsey Stancliff
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for Mac (2MB)
Download animated gif
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