the Alps, the Himalaya and the Caucasus mountains once formed part of an unbroken chain of a mountain range some 40 to 45 million years ago. According to two Australian geologists, this colossal mountain range stretched all the way from Spain, through Asia, to the southwest Pacific, may be as far as New Zealand ( New Scientist , Vol 153, No 2075).

The new theory is based on evidence provided by rocks found in Europe and the Pacific. The rocks reveal clues about the missing mountains in the 15,000-kilometre chain. Many of these mountain ranges came into existence when three parts of the supercontinent Gondwanaland