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

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 ...

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 ...

Rocks older than 4.03 billion years could shed light on Earth's earliest geological history, but they're incredibly rare. Reading time 2 minutes Due to the movement of Earth’s tectonic plates, our ...

Parts of ancient Earth may have formed continents and recycled crust through subduction far earlier than previously thought. New research led by scientists at the University of Wisconsin–Madison has ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. David Bressan is a geologist who covers curiosities about Earth. Jun 27, 2025, 08:03am EDT Jun 28, 2025, 10:01am EDT Iron-rich ...

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 ...

Parts of ancient Earth may have formed continents and recycled crust through subduction far earlier than previously thought. New research led by scientists at the University of Wisconsin–Madison has ...

The Hadean is the earliest eon in Earth’s geologic history, spanning from the planet’s formation about 4.56 billion years ago to roughly 4.0 billion years ago. It is characterized by accretion from ...

A team of Canadian and French researchers has confirmed that northern Quebec is home to the oldest known rocks on Earth, dating back 4.16 billion years. O’Neil, who supervised the original study, ...