Hi HN, I built this by adapting GPlates (<a href="https://www.gplates.org" rel="nofollow">https://www.gplates.org</a>), an academic project providing desktop software for geologists to investigate plate tectonic data. I'm amazed that geologists collected enough data to actually plot my home 750M years ago, so I thought you all would enjoy it too.<p>Even though plate tectonic models return precise results, you should consider the plots approximate (obviously we will never be able to prove correctness). In my tests I found that model results can vary significantly. I chose this particular model because it is widely cited and covers the greatest length of time.<p>The visualization itself is open source, though I have not yet cleaned up and pushed the plate tectonics integration (working on that right now): <a href="https://github.com/typpo/ancient-earth" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/typpo/ancient-earth</a>
I would love to see what a potential future Earth would look like, and where I currently stand will be<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLahVJNnoZ4" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLahVJNnoZ4</a> is pretty cool
As a child I was fascinated by the idea that the cliffs of Moher (<a href="https://www.cliffsofmoher.ie/about-the-cliffs/geology/" rel="nofollow">https://www.cliffsofmoher.ie/about-the-cliffs/geology/</a>) stood at the mouth of a massive ancient river but I've never found a picture of the earth in the geological past which showed such a river.<p>Nor does this model. Anyone know enough about geology to explain why? Is it because rivers are not represented at all?
I love that you can rotate the globe around and there is a position where you can only see water.<p><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/a0s75tyqtoh0hrd/Screenshot%202018-06-11%2013.41.43.png?dl=0" rel="nofollow">https://www.dropbox.com/s/a0s75tyqtoh0hrd/Screenshot%202018-...</a>
Can we extrapolate this into the future?<p>Update: found this video: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLahVJNnoZ4" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLahVJNnoZ4</a>
Wow! This gave me a whole new perspective on the Uruguayan coast, it's so cool to know that what I am seeing latched off the Antarctic peninsula!!! Specially since it so recognisable. Just a nice piece of trivia, but awesome for me.
The difference between 260M and 240M in the Western US is really big. My hometown, Flagstaff, Arizona, goes from being near the ocean to being hundreds of miles away from the ocean, like it is now.
Some explanation of what's going on in NA: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurentia" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurentia</a>
Great. Suggestion-<p>1. Can you add the number of years ago (eg. 100,000, 1M, 20M, 200M) next to the periods in the dropdown for those not familiar with it.<p>2. Can you simulate the changes automatically so it evolves?
Very hard to steer on a cell phone (Android, Brave browser) - pinch zoom kept flying me into the Cosmos.<p>Like the idea though - will try later from desktop.