Pangea supercontinent, computer artwork This supercontinent formed in the late Paleozoic Era (about 300 million years ago) when most of the Earth's land surface moved together due to continental drift. It eventually broke up again, leading to the formation of today's continents, about 200 million years ago. It was not the first time that such a supercontinent had formed. It is thought that reduced coastlines and climate change, caused by the formation of supercontinents, can cause many animal and plant species to become extinct.