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Secrets of ‘lost eighth continent’ Zealandia to be unlocked as scientists explore underwater landmass

SCIENTISTS have set sail on a mission to uncover the secrets of the “lost continent” of Zealandia off the east coast of Australia. This gigantic landmass disappeared beneath the waves 75 million years ago — and has never been explored.

We know the dinosaurs died out 66 million years ago, so there is every chance scientists will find something totally unexpected in this drowned world. It was originally part of the gigantic super-continent Gondwana, which was made up of many of the continents which now exist in the southern hemisphere.

Covering five million square kilometres, it extends from south of New Zealand northward to New Caledonia and west to the Kenn Plateau off Australia’s east coast. Drill ship Joides Resolution will recover sediments and rocks lying deep beneath the sea bed in a bid to discover how the region has behaved during the past tens of millions of years.

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