Wait, there's an 8th continent? Scientists unveil newly refined map of Zealandia

An international team of scientists set out to unravel the mysteries of Zealandia, a continent that is said to be almost fully under the sea. Recently, the group formulated a new refined map with the help of data taken from dredged rock samples that were extracted from the depths of the ocean. 

Previous research deduced that about 83 million years ago, a supercontinent named Gondwana disintegrated, thus forming the seven continents known to mankind today. The geological event also led to the creation of Zealandia, which remains 94% submerged. 

Only 6% of it is above water, making up New Zealand and other small islands. Published in the journal Tectonics, the new study conducted by geologists and seismologists refined existing maps of the eighth continent by analyzing the collections of rocks and sediment samples from the ocean bed.

The samples were mostly taken from sites of drilling and shores of islands in the region, according to Phys.org. They displayed geologic patterns in West Antarctica which pointed to the possibility of a subduction zone near the Campbell Plateau off the west coast of New Zealand.

All you need to know about Zealandia, the mammoth continent hiding under the sea

No magnetic anomalies were found in the region. Researchers suggest that the pulling apart of Gondwana led to the supercontinent breaking. This caused the formation of an ocean floor that now makes up the lower region of the Zealandia continent.

The map, which has now been released by the team, displays the location of the magmatic arc axis of the Zealandia continent and several other geological features. With Zealandia being a tricky continent to study due to its submergence, the new research is pivotal. It has dispelled several inconsistencies about the continent's presumed formation and structure. It comes five years after the continent was discovered. Zealandia, also known as Te Riu-a-Māui in the Māori language, spreads across 5 million square-kilometers and is twice the size of the Indian subcontinent, according to a report by Forbes.