Scientists have uncovered new evidence that Earth’s continents are continuously reworked deep beneath the surface, offering fresh insight into how continents have evolved over billions of years.

The study focuses on what happens after two continental plates collide to form major mountain ranges such as the Himalayas and the Alps. While geologists have long known that continental collisions build mountains and deform the crust, the new research shows that portions of continental crust can also be dragged deep into Earth during subduction before rising again and mixing with mantle rocks.