# Marie Tharp’s 1957 maps revealed the Atlantic’s hidden terrain 2026-08-07T02:45:43+00:00 | Health & Science | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Geologist and cartographer Marie Tharp helped produce one of the earliest detailed maps of the Atlantic Ocean floor in 1957, turning thousands of sonar measurements into a picture of the seabed. Her hand-drawn profiles revealed plains, mountain chains and a deep valley running along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Tharp worked at New York’s Lamont Geological Observatory, interpreting data collected by research vessels from which women were generally excluded. Her maps challenged the view of the seabed as an unchanging plain and supported ideas linked to continental drift. The Times of India reports that colleague Bruce Heezen initially questioned her finding, before further evidence from underwater earthquake locations added to the case. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com Tags: continental drift, geology, Marie Tharp, ocean mapping, science history Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/marie-tharps-1957-maps-revealed-the-atlantics-hidden-terrain/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/marie-tharps-1957-maps-revealed-the-atlantics-hidden-terrain/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.