Tiny zircon crystals are revealing that Earth’s earliest history may have included surprisingly complex tectonic activity.

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. The view from the Nuvvuagittuq greenstone belt, Nunavik, Quebec, Canada. - Jonathan O’Neil A rocky outcrop in a remote corner of ...

Earth formed about 4.6 billion years ago, during the geological eon known as the Hadean. The name "Hadean" comes from the Greek god of the underworld, reflecting the extreme heat that likely ...

Intro -- Preface -- References -- Contents -- 1 Why Hadean? -- Abstract -- 1.1 Introduction -- 1.2 Organization of This Book -- 1.2.1 A Brief Overview -- 1.2.2 Chapter Themes -- 1.3 Defining the ...

The ancient history of Earth has always been hard to read. Most of the planet’s earliest crust has been lost, buried, or melted by geologic processes over billions of years. The rare remnants that ...

Olivine cumulate from the Weltevreden Formation showing that although these cumulates are significantly altered, they still contain preserved unaltered olivine cores (microscopic image taken in ...

Long before oceans stabilized and continents formed, Hadean Earth was a world of molten rock, relentless asteroid impacts, and toxic atmospheres. Surface temperatures were extreme, and the young ...

Researchers say they might have discovered the oldest rocks on Earth. The rocks in question are a belt of swirly, stripe-covered rocks found in the northeastern reaches of Canada. These rocks appear ...