The expanding Earth theory
The Expanding Earth theory is a scientific hypothesis distinct from the widely accepted theory of plate tectonics and suggests that the position and relative movement of continents is at least partially due to the volume of the Earth increasing.
The Expanding Earth theory suggests that the Earth has been gradually increasing in volume over millions of years. Proponents of this theory argue that this expansion explains various geological phenomena, such as the formation of mountain ranges and the shifting of continents. The theory has faced skepticism from the scientific community, which largely supports plate tectonics as the dominant explanation for these processes.
Here's a closer look at what the Expanding Earth theory proposes and the arguments both supporting and challenging it.
The Basics of the Expanding Earth Theory
The Expanding Earth theory posits that the planet's volume has been increasing over geological time, causing continents to drift apart without the need for plate tectonics as traditionally understood. According to this theory, the Earth was once much smaller and had less surface area. As the planet expanded, the continents moved apart, creating ocean basins and transforming shallow seas into today's deep oceans.
Arguments in Support of the Theory
1. Continental Configuration and Water Distribution:
Large areas of today's continents were once submerged underwater and the Earth’s expansion has led to an increase in dry land surface area over time. Even if all the polar ice melted today, the resulting rise in sea levels would not be sufficient to submerge central North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa, which were once covered by shallow seas. This suggests that the continents now sit higher and drier due to the water moving into newly expanded ocean basins.
2. Formation of Mountain Ranges:
The composition and formation of mountain ranges such as the Himalayas, Tian Shan, Pamir, Alps, and Pyrenees are largely made up of dramatically folded marine sediments, which, according to plate tectonics, were squeezed into mountains as tectonic plates converged. According to the Expanding Earth theory if the seafloor was subducted as plate tectonics suggests, these marine sediments would not have been folded into mountains but rather pulled down into the mantle. The uneven planetary expansion caused certain regions of the seafloor to fold and uplift into mountain ranges, without the need for plate subduction.
3. Lack of Deep-Sea Fossils in Older Geological Layers:
Fossil evidence from deep-sea environments is absent in geological layers older than the mid-Mesozoic era. The oceans, as we know them today—with their deep, abyssal plains—did not exist until around 180 to 30 million years ago. Before this period, what were referred to as "oceans" were, in fact, vast, shallow seas. This interpretation is used to explain why there are no extreme-depth specialist fossils from earlier eras: such environments simply did not exist until relatively recently in Earth’s history.
4. Contacts between ancient civlizations
Expanding earth explains why ancient ruins all have similar styles of construction, as if they shared info, as if they were a lot more connected than we give them credit for. This imply the event may have happened relatively quickly.
Counterarguments
Here are some key counterarguments of the Expanding Earth theory :
1. Plate Tectonics and Geological Evidence:
The theory of plate tectonics is supported by a wide range of geological and geophysical evidence, including the distribution of earthquakes, volcanic activity, and the fit of continental margins. The presence of mid-ocean ridges and subduction zones, along with the understanding of mantle convection, provides a coherent explanation for the movement of continents and the formation of geological features like mountains and ocean basins. The Expanding Earth theory, by contrast, does not adequately account for these observations.
2. Lack of Mechanism for Expansion:
One of the major criticisms of the Expanding Earth theory is its failure to provide a convincing mechanism for how the Earth could expand. The theory does not offer a clear explanation for the source of additional mass or volume required for such expansion.
3. Paleomagnetic and Fossil Evidence:
Paleomagnetic studies show that continents have moved in ways consistent with plate tectonics over hundreds of millions of years. Additionally, the distribution of fossils and geological formations aligns with the theory of drifting continents and plate tectonics. The fossil record, including the appearance of similar species on now-separated continents, supports the idea that these landmasses were once connected and have since drifted apart due to plate movements rather than planetary expansion
4. No Supporting Data:
There is no significant geophysical data to support the Expanding Earth theory. Measurements of the Earth’s size over historical times do not show any increase in the Earth's radius.
Video
Below is a video by Professor SW Carey, of his long held theory that the Earth's expansion provides an explanation of continental drift and other geological phenomena.
The video was produced in 1982 and distributed by the Tasmanian Film Corporation.
