Notice, too, how the chain of sea mounts curves to the east as they near Asia (or, conversely, shifts west as you move away). Some 40 to 80 million years ago, t

Notice, too, how the chain of sea mounts curves to the east as they near Asia (or, conversely, shifts west as you move away). Some 40 to 80 million years ago, the direction of the Pacific plate shifted 60 degrees although some scientists claim the shift was due to the hot spot moving underneath the plate. Either way, the energy required for that shift boggles the mind.