Feb 04, 2017 10:11 AM EST By Natalie Scott, UniversityHerald Reporter

The lost continent Mauritia is believed to be lying beneath the volcanic surface of Mauritius. According to the scientists' latest discovery, the continent is a long and thin one that spanned 350 square miles and existed three billion years ago based on the ancient crystals.

The researchers from the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa lead by Lewis Ashwal have conducted a study regarding the perceived lost continent in the island of Mauritius at the East of Madagascar. According to Popular Science, the researchers have discovered three billion years old crystals which are more than 300 times older than the volcanic surface of the island.

Based on their latest discovery, the researchers have conclude that the ancient crystals are possibly coming from lost continent that was buried beneath the surface of the island. The findings of the study has been published in the journal Nature Communications.

However, the study has been questioned by cynics who think that the tiny and miniscule crystals have possibly brought to the island by any means. And one cited example for that is a bird could have been the channel of transferring the primordial crystal from Africa; not to mention the wind, vehicle tires, ocean currents and people's shoes.

Nevertheless, Ashwal and his team proceeded to the study and come up with another conclusion that the lost continent have been tore apart just like the supercontinent Gondwana that once surrounded Antarctica, Australia, Madagascar, India and Africa 200 million years ago.  The same case has been happening today with Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Tanzania that are splitting from Africa and slowly forming the East African Rift Valley which is also expected to form bodies of water someday, Times reported.

Meanwhile, the team of researchers continue to look for other evidence of the lost continent beneath. According to John Valley, a student of geosciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, what lies beneath Mauritius remains a mystery.   

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