Scientists warn that Africa is splitting apart faster than previously believed due to the East African Rift System, where the Somali and Nubian tectonic plates are drifting apart. A 35-mile fissure in Ethiopia's desert, which appeared in 2005, widens at about half an inch per year, potentially forming a new ocean and continent—dubbed the "Nubian continent"—within one to five million years. This process involves tectonic activity such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and visible rifts, as heat from the Earth's core drives the plates' movement. The separation is most active in the north, where new oceans may emerge first. The rift, which includes the African Great Lakes region, represents a dynamic geological transformation, with significant implications for Earth's geography and ecosystems. Recent advancements using satellite and seismic data have clarified the rift's boundaries and underlying processes, indicating ongoing structural changes and the future emergence of separate landmasses and oceans.