How Many Continents Are There? You May Not Like the Answers

The New York Times

“Anyone with a map can see that Asia and Europe are connected. They are often called Eurasia for that reason. The divide is pretty arbitrary, more culturally than scientifically defined. So, is it fair to say that there are actually only six continents? That is just the first slippery step on a well-oiled slope. What about North America and Asia? They are connected by the Bering Sea Shelf, once dry land crossed by humans and flooded only in the geologically recent past. Technically speaking, that makes Asia, North America and Europe all one continent. Does that mean there are only five? Other experts contend that five, six and seven are wrong and argue in favor of eight continents. There are even those who go as far as to say there are only two.”