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The missing content of Zealandia has been found after over 300 years of searching deep underwater for the missing spot of land.
Scientists have explored the existence of a "missing" continent for the last 375 years and finally found themselves faced with conclusive evidence.
So-called "Zealandia", known as Te Riu-a-Māui in Māori was a continent that stretched 1.89million square miles in size and is the missing piece of former supercontinent Gondwana.
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That super continent of old also included Eastern Australia and Western Antarctica, but Zealandia had "pulled away" from the other continents more than 550 million years ago, gradually sinking into the waters.
Geologists are still attempting to figure out why Zealandia pulled away as a sunken land, but have since found its resting place, where 94% of it had laid underwater.
Dutch businessman and sailor Abel Tasman had initially recorded the existence of Zealandia way back in 1642, hailing it as a large landmass that he stumbled on when searching for the "great Southern continent".
Instead, he found himself facing off against hostile Māori, who did at least provide some useful advice.
It would take 400 years for scientists to agree on the information Tasman was given about a large mass of land to the east of New Zealand's southern islands.
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But hard work from geologists have finally confirmed Zealandia as the real deal, with the "new" continent primarily underwater.
Over 2km deep into the ocean, the resting place of the forgotten continent lies, with Zealand Crown Research geologist Andy Tulloch confirming the next steps of their investigation, TimesNowNews.
Understanding how the landmass separated from the rest of the continent it was attached to are the next steps for understanding the world's eighth continent.
For now though, scientists have confirmed the important discovery, with the key to understanding how the planet formed lying 6,560 feet below the surface.
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