From Ethiopia to Mozambique the Afar Depression in Africa is slowly ripping apart to form a new ocean that some scientists say will be as big as the Red Sea. The crust here is only 20 km (12 mi) thick and over 100 m (328 ft)  below sea level in places (New Orleans is only about 8 ft below sea level). This is a rare opportunity for geologists to study the processes involved with the earth splitting open to create new formations. But don’t hold your breath just yet – it could take another 10 million years for the new ocean to actually form (Assuming global warming doesn’t make it happen next year)!

via Slashdot

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