Labs

This multimedia presentation, suitable for individual use as well as classroom demonstrations, is an excellent introduction to continental drift, or plate tectonics.

The menu comprises a table of contents so you can access topics quickly. The audio commentary is also displayed as text and the program has a comprehensive glossary. There are animations showing the formation and break-up of Pangea, the one single continent comprising all the Earth's landmass around 250 million years ago. Other animations show the mechanics of plate subduction at convergent boundaries, seafloor spreading at mid-ocean ridges, hotspots and mantle plumes. Subjects such as the global distribution of earthquakes are illustrated by maps, and photographs are also used to good effect.

The program can be used at two levels, and users will enjoy dipping into both to access all the extra material. The Intermediate presentation looks at the Earth's interior and plate boundaries, while the Advanced level covers paleomagnetism, magnetic reversals and a section on how Earth's landmasses may be arranged in 50 million years' time.