Wanderlust World Wanderlust World The claim that Africa and America are older than the Atlantic seafloor is incorrect. The oldest Atlantic oceanic crust dates to about 180 million years ago, whereas the continental crust of Africa and the Americas formed much earlier (over 2‑3 billion years for cratons). However, the present‑day continental margins are younger than the oldest oceanic crust because seafloor spreading continuously creates new crust.