But while our non-athletic university students were busy spending the Summer protesting over transgender toilets and the Fall rioting against democracy, European scholars were on the job. A team of geologists from South Africa, Norway, and Germany announced a major discovery this weekend of a submerged prehistoric sub-continent in the Indian Ocean.
Researches began on the tiny island nation of Mauritius, a former French colonial outpost east of Madagascar. The island is mostly a shipping hub in the international spice and perfume trade.
Geologists found samples of pure volcanic zirconium crystals on the island's beaches which were carbon-dated much older than the island itself. The crystals were believed to have been borne to Mauritius during millennia of typhoons and tidal waves, to which the island is susceptible. South African professor Dr. Louis Ashwal of the University of Witwatersrand began to have his doubts.
Ashwal theorized that the similarity and quantity of zirconium discovered had to have its origins in a major volcanic eruption. After excavating lava beds on Mauritius, Ashwal discovered identical zirconium crystal embedded in the lava-rock: proving that the samples existed on a land-mass locally.
The team published a paper and concluded that Mauritius sits atop a submerged lost island called Mauritania that geologists have long theorized existed, but could never locate. The island was submerged 84 million years ago during a period of continental drift.
Ashwal and his team are currently arranging deep-sea expeditions to confirm the theory. It is hoped that the expedition will discover fossil remains of prehistoric life; as well as add to our knowledge of continental drift; volcanic activities below the seas; and possible discoveries related to polar-shift and climate-change theories.
The discovery is an example of what Academia does when it's functioning properly. Doing things like providing invaluable information about geological history that may well prove useful in future projects that will benefit all mankind. Man conquers Nature when he understands how Nature operates; and Man acts according to those Laws. Beating up Trump supporters and building unisex bathrooms doesn't factor much in the great scheme of things.
And for that matter, neither do controversial half-time shows or MVP awards which are about as phony the Hollywood Oscars' ceremonies. Maybe we should look at South Africa and Europe for models reforming our own educational system.
South African Scholar
Ameroboob Scholar
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