By: Franyi Sarmiento, Ph.D., Inspenet, August 30, 2022
Researchers from Curtin University in Australia found a fragment of the first crust that the Earth had 4 billion years ago. The surface was found just below Western Australia and is about the size of Ireland.
This find is an important piece of the region’s geological history and will serve to explain how our planet has evolved over the years to become a suitable site for life.
“By comparing our findings with existing data it appears that many regions of the world experienced a similar time of early crustal formation and preservation. This suggests a significant change in Earth’s evolution around 4 billion years ago, when the meteorite bombardment subsided, the crust stabilized, and life on Earth began to establish itself,” explained Maximilian Droellner, co-author of the study.
The ancient crust covers an area of at least 100,000 square kilometers and was important in the formation of rocks and minerals in the region. The study of this fragment can help to understand how the first continents were formed.
“This piece of crust has survived multiple mountain-building events between Australia, India and Antarctica and appears to still be tens of kilometers deep below the southwestern corner of Australia,” Droellner concluded.
This material from the quepasamedia.com portal was edited for clarity, style, and length.
Photo: ShutterStock
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