Numenera is actually (mostly) set on a far future Earth in which the continents have moved to form a new pangaea supercontinent. It's actually way too far in the future for it to be this one, and there has been a whole bunch of continent-scale terraforming at some point, but still!
I had an Archaeology prof who had a "Reunite Gondwanaland" bumper sticker on his car. I was riding with him one time when a redneck in a big truck pulled up next to us, stuck his head out of his window and yelled "yo, fuck Gondwanaland!" and roared off.
Sorry I was being unecessary obnoxious. I just meant they could have written it saying "this could happen" rather than presenting it as "this will happen."
I'm just really triggered lately by everything online being exaggerated for clicks.
This scenario is one possible projection; it assumes the eventual development of a subduction zone in the West Atlantic that would overcome the spreading at the mid Atlantic ridge, eventually sealing the basin. I don't understand the mechanisms well enough to know how that prediction was made, so someone with more experience on the subject can chime in.
I'm, unfortunately, likely in the same boat, as far as expertise is concerned. I have a degree in geochemistry, and I agree with your analysis of the assumptions made to produce this model, but all of the projections I've seen until this one suggested the closing of the pacific basin.
Consider that much of the pacific mid-ocean ridge (the only thing preventing the closure of the pacific basin) is already being actively subducted under the eastern pacific boundary. Think about that: the spreading boundary itself is being subducted. This makes one wonder how it would be conceivable that the pacific basin widens in the future, despite the vast majority of the world's active subduction boundaries being along the pacific rim.
That stood out to me, too; I wonder if that model assumes the shrinkage of the Pacific reverses when the Atlantic starts to close. strange. I also didn't see them try to account for the rifting in Africa, perhaps they assume that will fail to complete like the North American one did
The prediction here is that Africa moves westward, squashing the Arabian peninsula into the south coast of the Iranian plateau. The Arabian peninsula becomes the coastline between India and Africa
this made me realize how great this map would be for an alternate history or fantasy setting
the mountain range between north america and africa creates the super interesting situation where the sides are almost entirely separated save for the coast and a teensy tiny bit near cape town that's sort of crossable, so the coast would see an insane amount of traffic and i could see there being a capital nestled in the mountains next to the passage to cape town.
And of course the indian ocean would be where basically everyone lives, as others have said.
I DMed a D&D campaign a few years ago for which I drew a map that was just North America with the water level up 300 meters and rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise. Nobody noticed it after I let the characters discover the map.
250 million years is about 4 to 5 times longer than we had since the mass extinction from the dinosaurs, assume whatever fauna will be there would be radically different than what we have now.
and if there are still humans, they would be very different as well.
It's pretty much a certainty that we won't have any living descendants in 250 million years since no large species ever survive that long. Our own ancestors 69 million years ago were at best mouse-sized.
Unless: we develop some sort of propulsive technology that can accelerate us to very near the speed of light. It's possible we could still be around because of relativistic effects. Poul Anderson wrote a book called Tau Ceti where a spaceship that uses interstellar hydrogen for fuel gets stuck endlessly accelerating and ends up outlasting the collapse of the universe, only being able to slow down and locate a planet to settle on in the next universal cycle.
Imma use this as world map for my next Pen&Paper campaign.
Numenera is actually (mostly) set on a far future Earth in which the continents have moved to form a new
pangaeasupercontinent. It's actually way too far in the future for it to be this one, and there has been a whole bunch of continent-scale terraforming at some point, but still!Pangea is the name of only one supercontinent. The others have other names.
I had an Archaeology prof who had a "Reunite Gondwanaland" bumper sticker on his car. I was riding with him one time when a redneck in a big truck pulled up next to us, stuck his head out of his window and yelled "yo, fuck Gondwanaland!" and roared off.
Good point! I think I saw the name "Pangaea Proxima" and forgot that they weren't all variations on that
That’s exactly what I was thinking! Going to save it for my daughter’s games.
The mongols would rule the shit out of this supercontinent
Hail Ming!
Yuan
fyi there are many proposals for future continents, it's basically unknowable
Sure, but its fun to speculate!
The English language has words and grammar for speculation, "will" is not one of them.
?????????????
Sorry I was being unecessary obnoxious. I just meant they could have written it saying "this could happen" rather than presenting it as "this will happen."
I'm just really triggered lately by everything online being exaggerated for clicks.
It's good to know Brexit is only temporary.
I thought the pacific was getting smaller and the Atlantic was getting larger? I would expect the America’s to meet with east Asia.
This scenario is one possible projection; it assumes the eventual development of a subduction zone in the West Atlantic that would overcome the spreading at the mid Atlantic ridge, eventually sealing the basin. I don't understand the mechanisms well enough to know how that prediction was made, so someone with more experience on the subject can chime in.
Im gonna guess, from your response, you have the most experience on the subject of anyone we will find in this thread.
I'm, unfortunately, likely in the same boat, as far as expertise is concerned. I have a degree in geochemistry, and I agree with your analysis of the assumptions made to produce this model, but all of the projections I've seen until this one suggested the closing of the pacific basin.
Consider that much of the pacific mid-ocean ridge (the only thing preventing the closure of the pacific basin) is already being actively subducted under the eastern pacific boundary. Think about that: the spreading boundary itself is being subducted. This makes one wonder how it would be conceivable that the pacific basin widens in the future, despite the vast majority of the world's active subduction boundaries being along the pacific rim.
That stood out to me, too; I wonder if that model assumes the shrinkage of the Pacific reverses when the Atlantic starts to close. strange. I also didn't see them try to account for the rifting in Africa, perhaps they assume that will fail to complete like the North American one did
Okay. Glad I’m not the only one and I can’t believe I had to scroll so far.
From what the wikipedia page tells, under this hypothesis atlantic will stop widening in about 125 millions years, and begin to shrink.
I guess no point in climbing Mount Everest if it's not going to be the tallest in 250M years. That's a relief.
Apparently New Zeland is still off the map... Just like nowadays.
New Zealand is the Gen X of countries.
As it is written in the ancient texts.
It's comforting to see that the large cities will still exist in 250 million years.
Note it doesn't say they're still populated...
We have to survive, imagine the high speed trains of the future!!!!
I'm sure they're populated... by something. Roaches, probably.
Pacific Ocean feeling pretty smug right now about maintaining its status as the largest ocean.
And the Pacific Rim? It's the only rim, baby!
And it goes aaaaaaaalllll the way ‘round.
Imagine the high speed rail network 🤤
Solves the Florida problem at least.
It's, strangely, pretty much where you left it, right between India and Africa.
The prediction here is that Africa moves westward, squashing the Arabian peninsula into the south coast of the Iranian plateau. The Arabian peninsula becomes the coastline between India and Africa
alhamdulilah the middle east is now the Middle BEACH baby right there on the Indian Ocean
Probably around Cairo
The world will be covered with a whole new set of life forms, humans will be long gone, and there will be no evidence that we ever existed.
They'll be fossils and a band of pollution akin to the oxygen catastrophe.
A thin layer in the fossil record of iron oxide, microplastic particles, and the occasional Nokia phone.
Nokia phone, The new Rosetta Stone
I hope at least some info about how we all died out of the greed of the few and inability of many to understand who the real enemy is will survive
Get used to the fact that it won't.
We’ll be turned to oil!
Florida stuck it in Africa and made the new highest point.
And people say sell your Florida beachfront property!
Americans still won’t want to visit anywhere else…
At least they get their xenophobic wall.
Cradle of civilization is going to be lit around the Indian ocean. It's like a super Mediterranean.
Tamriel! Or at least Cyrodiil+Elsweyr
this made me realize how great this map would be for an alternate history or fantasy setting
the mountain range between north america and africa creates the super interesting situation where the sides are almost entirely separated save for the coast and a teensy tiny bit near cape town that's sort of crossable, so the coast would see an insane amount of traffic and i could see there being a capital nestled in the mountains next to the passage to cape town.
And of course the indian ocean would be where basically everyone lives, as others have said.
I DMed a D&D campaign a few years ago for which I drew a map that was just North America with the water level up 300 meters and rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise. Nobody noticed it after I let the characters discover the map.
Imagine the high speed rail opportunities
Let’s hope in 250 mio. years we have better technology.
In 250 mio.years Humans remains only as fossils.
better than train?
literally said the same thing.
We aren't going to be around to see it. Shit, the way we're doing things nothing else will be around to see it either.
At least Trump have his wall.
Okay, but are we gonna talk about how Lagos, Nigeria will become a ski resort town?
And the UK is still in the middle at the top…
Jupiter from the Planets Suite intensifies.
I just feel like removing La Manche between England and France won’t end well.
Scandinavia south of Paris.
That Americas-Africa-Antarctica triple point is gonna be 🔥🔥🔥🔥 I just know it
Why does this look like the Earth Kingdom?
Avatar takes place 250 million years in the future.
The half animals must be mutants due to WW3 fallout /j
250 million years is about 4 to 5 times longer than we had since the mass extinction from the dinosaurs, assume whatever fauna will be there would be radically different than what we have now.
and if there are still humans, they would be very different as well.
It's pretty much a certainty that we won't have any living descendants in 250 million years since no large species ever survive that long. Our own ancestors 69 million years ago were at best mouse-sized.
Unless: we develop some sort of propulsive technology that can accelerate us to very near the speed of light. It's possible we could still be around because of relativistic effects. Poul Anderson wrote a book called Tau Ceti where a spaceship that uses interstellar hydrogen for fuel gets stuck endlessly accelerating and ends up outlasting the collapse of the universe, only being able to slow down and locate a planet to settle on in the next universal cycle.
it is feasible that our descendants will survive, bit chances are they will look nothing like us.
Can't wait!
Seasons Greasons!
Paris and Rome are west of London lol
Can't wait!!!
LIES! The continents are going to fall off the edge of the world. Everyone knows that.