A massive landmass, previously inhabited by around 500,000 individuals, has been located off the coast of Australia.
Submerged now, the ancient continent existed for nearly 65,000 years and spanned an area of 390,000 square kilometers)—larger than New Zealand.
Researchers behind the discovery revealed that this landmass had unique characteristics unlike those found anywhere on Earth today.
Griffith University's Queensland researcher Norman Kasih remarks: "Numerous large islands along Australia's coastline – islands that originally composed part of the continental shelves – evidence earlier human habitation prior to the rise in sea levels."
Researchers had been speculating for a long time that there was an ancient landmass in the area.
"The region contained a diverse array of habitable freshwater and saltwater environments. Specifically, a notable feature was the Malita inland sea," the team noted.
(Questions of the Gallery - Indy 100 / Picture: Image courtesy of Unsplash)
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