Scientists reconstruct formation of the southern Appalachians

Around 300 million years ago, the landmass that is now North America collided with Gondwana, a supercontinent comprised of present-day Africa and South America. That clash of continents lifted tons of rock high above the surrounding terrain to form the southern end of the Appalachian Mountains now seen in Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia. A team of geophysicists has reconstructed the terminal phase of that collision and developed a new picture of how it unfolded.