The title of this blog post is the name of a commercial puzzle produced and sold by the American Geophysical Union in 1985. This puzzle, created by the geoscientist Athelstan Spillhaus, is based on the widely held scientific theory of plate tectonics, that explains the geology of the ocean floor and the geologic continuity of now physically separated continents. The lid of the box containing all the movable pieces is shown below:
The brightly colored 18 pieces of stiff cardboard comprising the puzzle are cut along tectonic plate boundaries, thereby allowing one to move the plates around to different positions so as to see how they fitted together 200 million years ago during the time of the single supercontinent Pangea. When all the pieces are fitted together, the map is about 15 inches across:
One can also arrange the pieces together to show the modern world distribution of these same plates:
This puzzle is a very effective learning tool for students taking classes/labs in Earth Science. I acquired my copy many years ago when I was actively teaching, and I have used it in university-level classes. It could also be used in elementary-school classes that have a section on Earth Science. Some of my colleagues borrowed it from time to time, and they were all impressed by its quality and scientific accuracy.
I looked online for this puzzle but could not find it. I assume that it is now a collector’s item. However, there are somewhat similar puzzles for sale online.
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