Plate tectonic reconstructions have evolved from simple, rigid reconstructions to ones that incorporate the timedependent evolution of plate and their boundaries, deformation and/or the history of subduction from seismic tomography-Reconstructions can be powerfully predictive for a wide range of disciplines beyond tectonics, including palaeobiology, palaeoclimate, geodynamics, and seismologyThere is no 'one-size-fits-all' when it comes to reconstructing the Earth's tectonic plates: different data types and techniques are applicable for different time periods, resolutions and purposes.-Important areas of ongoing research include the quantification of uncertainty, linking reconstructions to physics-based deep-Earth to surface (and biogeochemical) models and the incorporation of machine learning techniques