How the movement of tectonic plates is reshaping North America
In short: Explore the geological transformation of North America, from its ancient shared history with Europe to the tectonic forces currently tearing the western United States apart.
The documentary traces the continent's journey from a time when North America and Europe were joined to its eventual independence following the opening of the North Atlantic Ocean. It examines how the collision with the Pacific plate formed massive ranges like the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada.
The film also investigates the continent's active geological features, such as the volcanic activity in Yellowstone and the San Andreas fault. This fault is currently fracturing the West, a process that could eventually leave Los Angeles as an island separated from San Francisco on a geological timescale.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: North America: From Continental Drift to Imminent Fracture | SLICE EARTH | FULL DOC
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