The tectonic plates are among the most powerful forces on Earth, exerting tremendous influence over every single life that unfolds on this planet. They are both creators and destroyers, capable of raising whole mountain ranges and leveling cities with earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. At this very moment, tectonic plates are in the process of ripping Africa apart, a transformation that will completely reshape the world. Yet for all their importance, scientists don't actually know how the tectonic plates came to be.
Not only is there no consensus as to the origins of the tectonic plates, but