Geography
How Plate Tectonics Create and Destroy Terrestrial Habitats
Quick fact
The collision of India with Asia created the Himalayas, which now host thousands of unique species, while subduction off the coast of Japan destroys seafloor habitat but creates volcanic island chains.
Why this is interesting
Mountains rise where continents collide, and islands are born from volcanic eruptions – but plate tectonics doesn't just shape the land; it orchestrates the stage for life itself. How do these slow-moving plates constantly create and destroy the habitats that species depend on?