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In a recent study led by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin, scientists used zircons from the Andes mountains of Patagonia to uncover a previously overlooked step in the tectonic process of raising seafloors into mountains. The zircons, tiny minerals used as geologic timekeepers, revealed a chemical signature associated with tectonic plates moving apart, despite forming during plate collision. This unexpected signature led to the proposal of a new model involving oceanic crust influencing the magma chamber where zircons form, representing a transitional step in the formation of back arc basins. P. Geo. Ricardo A Valls, M. Sc. Valls Geoconsultant ORCID ID- https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5421-0914 Scopus Author ID: 7003369619/35335510700 ResearcherID: S-6604-2018 If you like this content, please "buy me a coffee" https://www.buymeacoffee.com/goldendroplets