A Planet That Rebuilds Itself

Plate tectonics does more than move continents. It shapes Earth's whole surface:

• Mountain building — the Himalayas rise about 5 mm per year as India pushes into Asia
• Ocean creation — the Atlantic widens by about 2.5 cm per year as the Americas drift from Europe and Africa
• Climate control — continent positions steer ocean currents and wind patterns
• Crust recycling — subduction pulls old ocean floor back into the mantle, so none is older than about 200 million years