Laurasia

Laurasia is the name given to a large ancient supercontinent that made up most of the landmasses of the northern hemisphere during early Earth history. It consisted of the foundations of North America, Europe, and most of Asia (excluding India and certain other regions).

Laurasia is known as the northern portion that broke away from the supercontinent Pangaea, while the southern portion is called Gondwana. The separation of these two was marked by an ancient sea called the Tethys. The idea of Laurasia rests on the theory of continental drift and plate tectonics, which explains that Earth's surface consists of moving plates.

Name

The name 'Laurasia' derives from a combination of 'Laurentia'—the ancient foundation of North America—and 'Eurasia'. The name thus refers to the joining of these two continental cores.

Formation and separation

The foundations of Laurasia came together through various stages of plate collision. When Pangaea began to break apart, Laurasia remained a connected unit for a time before it too split apart: North America separated from Europe, leading to the opening of the northern Atlantic Ocean. Today the landmasses of Laurasia make up the northern continents.

Scientific significance

Scientists studying ancient geography (paleogeography) use Laurasia to explain the distribution of ancient life. Many plant and animal species found in Europe, Asia, and North America are similar, suggesting these landmasses were once connected. Similarly, comparisons of rock types and ancient magnetism support the reconstruction of Laurasia's map.