Old rocks in Canada are almost ancient like the Earth itself

Due to the movement of tectonic Earth’s plates, our planet’s crust is constantly recycled, making rocks and minerals from its first days very rare. This is frustrated for geologists, because Hadiian rocks are at the surface level (rocks exceeding 4.03 billion years) can provide an insight into the first geological stages of Earth with a duration of 4.5 billion years date.

In a study published today in Earth EarthResearchers from Canada and France suggest that the Nuvuagittuq Greenstone (NGB) – a rock formation in northeastern Canada – contains Hadian rocks that dates back about 4.16 billion years. While this date differs from the previous controversial research that defines NGB rocks of 4.3 billion years, it enhances the broader theory that the formation of rocks hosts the remains of the first crust of the Earth. If the new study proves that it is correct, it may bear great effects on our understanding of the history of the ancient planet.

“There are still many questions regarding the nearest cortex for the Earth due to the scarcity of the Hadian belt (> 4.03 billion). Professor Jonathan O’Neill explained in the study.

One of the most common ways of the history of rocks is by radiation DatingWhich include measuring radioactive dissolution of the isotopes – preferred versions of elements. The claim that some NGB rocks may reach 4.3 billion years controversial because some researchers assure that the theoretical data on which the estimate is based may be actually as a result of “subsequent geological mixing operations” instead of the real life of the rock, according to the American Association for Affairs in Science statement.

In the new study, O’Neill and his colleagues investigated the old rocks in NGB called UNDERTS METAABBROIC. Simply put, these intervention interventions intersect the old basalt rocks, a feature of the researchers claimed to combine different analogal analyzes to detect the minimum age of this old substance. Specifically, the data that involves samarium toes have indicated to the niudmium analogs constantly to the minimum age of 4.16 billion years.

It remains to see whether the issue of the real NGB era will be truly settled. The recent study comes in the wake of A new search for prehistoric feet, is also controversial due to its dating technology. On a wider scale, both papers emphasize the importance of evaluating dating methods in a critical manner, especially those that may support great historical effects on both humanity and our planet.