Nov. 3, 2009 In 2005, a gigantic, 35-mile-long rift broke open
the desert ground in Ethiopia. At the time, some geologists
believed the rift was the beginning of a new ocean as two parts
of the African continent pulled apart, but the claim was
controversial. Now, scientists from several countries have
confirmed that the volcanic processes at work beneath the
Ethiopian rift are nearly identical to those at the bottom of
the world's oceans, and the rift is indeed likely the beginning
of a new sea. The new study, published in the latest issue of
Geophysical Research Letters, suggests that the highly active
volcanic boundaries along the edges of tectonic ocean plates may
suddenly break apart in large sections, instead of little by
little as has been predominantly believed. In addition, such
sudden large-scale events on land pose a much more serious
hazard to populations living near the rift than would several
smaller events, says Cindy Ebinger, professor of earth and
environmental sciences at the University of Ro