Scientists Rewrite the Story of Earth’s First Continents With a Fiery New Twist

Scientists Rewrite the Story of Earth’s First Continents With a Fiery New Twist

New research from HKU geologists suggests that Earth’s first continents were born not from plate tectonics, but from deep mantle plumes rising from within the planet. Researchers at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) have uncovered new insights into how Earth’s first continents came into existence over 2.5 billion years ago during the Archean era. [...]

Scientists Uncover a Groundbreaking New Origin for Earth’s First Continents

New research has dramatically reshaped our understanding of Earth’s early geological history, overturning traditional beliefs about how the planet’s first continents came into being. Researchers from The University of Hong Kong (HKU) have published a study in Science Advances suggesting that deep mantle plumes, not plate tectonics, were responsible for the formation of Earth’s earliest continental crust. This discovery introduces a new model of …

Ancient zircon data reveals tectonic origin of Earth's first continental crust

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Jul 09, 2025 Researchers at Zhejiang University have leveraged AI to reconstruct the chemical composition of Earth's earliest continental crust, offering a rare glimpse into the Hadean eon over 4.4 billion years ago. The team, led by Professors Jia Liu and Qunke Xia, included PhD students Denggang Lu, Zhikang Luan, Jingjun Zhou, and Tianting Lei. The study addresses a critical gap in Earth's geological