Long Lost Land Discovered Under the Ocean

It seems that fiction had met reality, as a massive piece of land was just found off of Australia’s northern coast. The land stretches for 242,300 miles and was once home to 500,000 people. Read on to learn more about this newly discovered piece of land.

Hidden in the Ocean

Scientists believe this piece of land was submerged roughly 18,000 years ago when sea levels rose. Apparently, the land was quite useful before becoming completely submerged. According to Kasih Norman of Queensland’s Griffith University, who assisted in this discovery, “The region contained a mosaic of habitable fresh and saltwater environments. The most salient of these features was the Malita inland sea.”

Who Lived There?

It’s believed that the land boasted between 50,000 to 500,000 residents over the years and reached its population peak roughly 20,000 years ago. According to Norman, there will likely be more discoveries of once-inhabited landscapes.

The researcher explained, “Many large islands off Australia’s coast – islands that once formed part of the continental shelves – show signs of occupation before sea levels rose.” We’ll just have to wait and see what else the ocean is hiding!