Scientists announce new megaearthquake zone

Sensation in geology: a new tectonic fault discovered under the Atlantic, threatening catastrophic consequences. Research published in the prestigious journal Nature Geoscience reveals alarming data.

The article emphasizes that the Atlantic Ocean, long considered a zone of seismic calm, may harbor an unexpected danger. Portugal, located far from known tectonic boundaries, has already fallen victim to powerful earthquakes. Particularly illustrative are the events of 1969, when underground tremors demonstrated characteristics typical of subduction zones—places where lithospheric plates collide—although such activity had not previously been recorded in this region.

The scientific team conducted a comprehensive analysis, comparing readings from seismic stations with the results of computer modeling of the seabed southwest of Portugal. Researchers identified clear signs of mantle stratification. According to their conclusion, over millions of years, water gradually penetrated into the rock formations, weakening their structure and creating prerequisites for the formation of a new subduction zone in the Atlantic Ocean.

According to scientists' forecasts, in the future this zone may become a source of destructive earthquakes and tsunamis capable of causing large-scale tectonic changes. In the distant future, researchers do not even exclude the possibility of uniting three continents—Africa, Europe, and America—into a single supercontinent.