Most scientists agree that all of today's continents were part of a single continent known as Pangaea around 250 million years ago. The map below shows the theorized positions of some of these continents at that time.Which of the following would best provide evidence to support the theory that Pangaea existed in Earth's past? A. A scientist finds a Glossopteris fossil in the ocean off the coast of India. B. A scientist finds a Cynognathus fossil close to a Mesosaurus fossil in Africa. C. A scientist finds a large number of Mesosaurus fossils spread across South America. D. A scientist finds Lystrosaurus fossils in India, Africa, and Antarctica.
Question
Most scientists agree that all of today's continents were part of a single continent known as Pangaea around 250 million years ago. The map below shows the theorized positions of some of these continents at that time.Which of the following would best provide evidence to support the theory that Pangaea existed in Earth's past? A. A scientist finds a Glossopteris fossil in the ocean off the coast of India. B. A scientist finds a Cynognathus fossil close to a Mesosaurus fossil in Africa. C. A scientist finds a large number of Mesosaurus fossils spread across South America. D. A scientist finds Lystrosaurus fossils in India, Africa, and Antarctica.
Solution
The best evidence to support the theory that Pangaea existed in Earth's past would be option D. A scientist finds Lystrosaurus fossils in India, Africa, and Antarctica. This is because finding the same species of fossil across multiple continents that are now separated by vast oceans suggests that these land masses were once connected, allowing the species to inhabit all these areas. This supports the theory of a supercontinent like Pangaea.
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