Between 65 and 145 million years ago, the Amazon River flowed towards the Pacific Ocean, in the opposite direction it flows today.
Between 65 and 145 million years ago, the Amazon River flowed towards the Pacific Ocean, in the opposite direction it flows today.
That’s an interesting fact about the Amazon River! It is true that the Amazon River’s flow direction has changed over millions of years. However, it’s important to clarify that the Amazon River didn’t exist as we know it today during that time period.
During the late Cretaceous period, which was around 65 to 145 million years ago, the landscape of the Earth was significantly different. The tectonic plates, which make up the Earth’s crust, were in constant motion, causing dramatic changes in the arrangement of continents and oceans.
At that time, the South American continent was located further west than it is today and was not yet fully formed. The Amazon region was actually closer to the Pacific Ocean and drained into a vast inland sea called the “Western Interior Seaway.”
As the Earth’s crust continued to shift and change, the South American continent moved eastward and gradually closed the connection between the Amazon region and the Pacific Ocean. Over millions of years, the Amazon River system began to form and started flowing eastward into the Atlantic Ocean.
So, while it is true that the Amazon River flowed towards the Pacific Ocean between 65 and 145 million years ago, it wasn’t the Amazon River as we know it today. The current path of the Amazon River towards the Atlantic Ocean is a result of the geological changes that took place over millions of years.
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