Canada and Australia have plenty in common: they鈥檙e both former British colonies with large immigrant populations, a high-quality of life and a shared affection for
But, geologically speaking, the countries may be more connected than scientists ever imagined.
New research from Australia鈥檚 Curtin University reveals that, about 1.7 billion years ago, part of northern Australia may have once been part of Canada.
The study, , found that rocks in Georgetown, Australia bear a striking resemblance to rocks found in modern-day Canada, and the rocks are not found anywhere else in Australia.
Adam Nordsvan, the PhD student behind the research, said the report reveals a previously unknown story behind Nuna, an ancient supercontinent that once included Greenland, India, North China and part of West Africa.
Researchers say a chunk of northern Australia was once physically connected to part of northwestern Canada. The proof, researchers say, is that the distinct sedimentary rocks that both regions share.
The two pieces of land eventually separated, and after about 100 million years, the small piece of Aussie land collided with part of northern Australia, becoming a permanent part of the continent.
Mike Hamilton, an assistant professor in the Earth Sciences department at the University of Toronto, called the report 鈥渞igorous鈥� and 鈥渧ery good proof鈥� that the two countries share a geological past.
鈥淭here is a very good, well-established record the North American sources of these sedimentary rocks and a very distinct lack of these sources in northern Australia,鈥� Hamilton told 麻豆传媒 Channel on Wednesday.
鈥淚 think that they have pretty much dotted all their I鈥檚 and crossed their T鈥檚 in this investigation.鈥�
Hamilton pointed out that the theory has been floated before, but that the new research is strong evidence of the ancient link.
