, April 12 -- The Strait of Hormuz has been drawing global attention due to rising tensions that have disrupted shipping along one of the world's most important oil routes. This narrow waterway carries a large share of global energy supplies, meaning any disruption quickly affects oil prices and international politics.

But scientists say the existence of this critical passage is linked to an ocean that vanished millions of years ago, known as the Tethys Sea.

Around 250 million years ago, Earth looked very different, with two massive landmasses, Laurasia in the north and Gondwana in the south, separated by the Tethys Sea. Over time, shifting tectonic plates reshaped the planet.

The Arabian Plate gradually moved north and collided with t...