How the Gulf of California Opened — And Then Flooded Astonishingly Fast

How did Baja California separate from mainland Mexico—and how quickly did the sea rush in? New geologic evidence suggests that around 6.3 million years ago, seawater rapidly flooded more than 1,000 km of the developing Gulf of California. Join geology professor Shawn Willsey as we explore how plate tectonics tore the region apart and visit rocks near Santa Rosalía that preserve evidence of the Gulf’s dramatic arrival. Support these educational videos! Your generous support allows me to create more videos. Send support via: PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted... Buy Me: https://buymeacoffee.com/shawnwillsey Venmo: @shawn-willsey Click on the three dots above and then the "Thanks" button Credit/Debit Card donations on my website: https://www.willseygeology.com/ Or a good ol' fashioned check to: Shawn Willsey 148 Blue Lakes Blvd N #141 Twin Falls, ID 83301 Willsey website: https://www.willseygeology.com/ Willsey merch store: https://geologyexplained-shop.fourthw... Willsey on Instagram: @geology_explained Willsey on TikTok: @shawnwillseygeology Willsey field trips: https://www.willseygeology.com/field-... Papers: https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/... https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/... https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/...