ScienceAugust 21, 2026

rifting

RIFT-ing

Definition

The geological process by which the Earth's crust is pulled apart or stretched, typically preceding the breakup of a continent.

Etymology

Derived from the Middle English word 'rift,' meaning a cleft or fissure, which is of Scandinavian origin related to the Old Norse 'ripta' meaning a breach.

In the news

The article uses rifting to describe the tectonic forces that fractured the supercontinent Rodinia, which led to the creation of the massive cliff systems that ultimately exposed the Grand Canyon's ancient rocks.

A lost mega-cliff may explain the Grand Canyon’s missing billion years

Read the full article ↗

Science Daily

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