The Afar region in northeastern Africa is one of the rare places on Earth where a new ocean might form in the coming millions of years. This happens where three tectonic plates meet—the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and East African Rift. The land here shows deep valleys, volcanoes, and cracks created by shifting earth plates. In 1968, scientists first flew over Afar and recorded magnetic signals beneath the surface. These signals showed hidden underground features made by old and current movements of earth and magma. Recently, researchers combined this old data with magnetic readings from the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. This gave a clear picture of how the land is splitting and how ocean crust may form in place of continental crust. The 1968 survey found long lines of magnetic anomalies, some stretching over 100 km. These lines are linked to past magma flows and split zones. Near the Erta Ale volcano, strong magnetic signals prove lava has moved here many times. A new study digitized the 1968 data and mixed it with other regional data to make detailed magnetic maps. These maps show that some anomalies run almost across the rift zones while others line up with faults. This suggests multiple stages of land pulling apart, with volcanic activity leaving magnetic clues. By studying these patterns, scientists can tell which parts of the earth's crust formed early in the break-up and which changed later due to volcanoes. The magnetic data help tell the story of how the earth’s crust stretches, cracks, and turns into ocean floor. Afar is a live example of this giant earth process happening. Magnetic patterns differ across the region, showing that the breaking of continents is not simple or straight. Instead, it happens in bursts and waves. Linking Afar’s data with nearby areas shows it as part of a larger system crossing northeastern Africa. These findings help scientists build better models to predict how new oceans may form. Afar teaches us the slow, powerful forces turning land into a new ocean basin right before our eyes.