EARTH’S CRUST.

Grey River Argus, 30 March 1926, Page 8

EARTH’S CRUST.

The word of geology—the science of Ihe earth ’s rocks—is at present, per-, lurbed over a. theory, which though it has now been advanced some years, has hitherto remained somewhat in the background. When geologists examine the rocks of the world they find that there are several layers, one upon top of the. other, of different kinds of rock. These layers contain fossilised animals and plants, and very often a particular fossil is found not only in say Australia, but 'England or America. This indicates tint at. the time when the fossil lived, tip. localities where the fossil beds now occur wore lakes or seas, in which muds were being laid down to form tlie present-day rock. Now n’ the davs just. before granite, was there was a peculiar kind ol fern called Glossoptcris, which grow not. only in Australian lakes of that dav but also in those of India and South Africa. Though lakes were m other parts of the world, the torn Glossopteris did not, grow' in them. Jn order that this state of affairs should develop, the several countries must at that, date have been in some wav connected. The question is: How was this connection made? Some say that there was a great continent called Gondwanalnnd, which existed where the Indian Ocean now rolls. Others ad varice the theory that there was an Antarctic connection. Recently, however a geologist named Wagner ..as advanced a theory which, at first seems too sensational for fact, but. careful consideration has led many to regard it not such a chimera after all. la brief. Wagner regards the crus of the earth as a solid, brittle some 20 miles thick, which is c.q able of sliding over the heavier but seml-molton interior of the earth. Th conception is shared by most geologists of to-day. but they do not . accent. WagneFs additional idea that great of land can break away fr.-ni each other and slowly po..t ..port Wagner thinks that, in the rtavs when Glossopteris flourished the i i whlrh now constitutes Austiaha ! vs V'dgel Hl between South Africa ~,'l.l India. The (llossoplrtns leaves were, embedded in the mud nt the hot- / f thn bikes and form the fossils o f n ioMaV. In time the floral ami fauna evolved’into new fashion and Glossopteris died out, and while this was happening “Australia” quietly and unEt'ntntionsly slid away to her pose tion ns “Land of the South. His is an iniercsting theory, but » to be isubstantialed by more e'ldc.ncc, exact measurements of d,stances be tween Australia and Iho rest of the world will doubtless be made, and compared from time to tamo vith 2L gee 11 .«o.v