Scientists have discovered continent missing for almost four centuries

Geoscientists have discovered a long-lost continent that had remained hidden in plain sight for 375 years.

The existence of a landmass known as "Zealandia"—or Te Riu-a-Māui in the Māori language—has long been a subject of speculation.

According to TN News, Zealandia covers an area of 1.89 million square miles and was once part of the supercontinent Gondwana, which included much of West Antarctica and Eastern Australia over 500 million years ago.

The continent was first discovered in 1642 by Dutch businessman and explorer Abel Tasman, but its true nature remained unclear.

It wasn’t until 2017 that scientists formally recognized Zealandia as a real continent, confirming that it had broken away from Gondwana for reasons that remain unknown.

Today, the majority of Zealandia lies underwater.

(QG - Source: Indy 100 - Picture : © Unsplash)