Photo Essay: On an Island, a Lost Part of the World Is Found

On the volcanic Indian Ocean island of Anjouan, scientists are investigating a formation of quartzite, a rock apparently formed on a far-off continent. Its presence here defies conventional scientific theory. The island is part of the Comoros, a small, poor nation archipelago whose agricultural economy springs directly from its geologic history. (All photos: Kevin Krajick/Earth Institute) CLICK TO READ THE FULL SCIENTIFIC STORY

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On a high ridge, a just-discovered outcrop of quartzite. An ancient rock, it could not have formed on this geologically young volcanic island; likely it started out within a riverbed or beach on a continent. Most of the formation may lie hidden below the surface. The researchers’ goal: map its extent and try to figure out how it got here.

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