A massive submerged plateau in the South Atlantic Ocean, once a thriving tropical island, has been uncovered by a team of international researchers. Located roughly 1,200 kilometers off the Brazilian coast, this hidden landscape — known as the Rio Grande Rise (RGR) — is now recognized as a geological formation that once stood above sea level millions of years ago. Credit: Scientific ReportsMapping The Lost TerrainThe team used advanced technology to reconstruct what this ancient island once looked like. Videos, sonar scans, and samples taken by robotic arms allowed the researchers to assemble a comprehensive picture of the Rio Grande Rise’s geologic evolution. The Rio Grande Rise remains ecologically mysterious.