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When did plate tectonics begin? Scientists find new clues
- Researchers identified direct evidence of tectonic plate movement 3.5 billion years ago in Western Australia's Pilbara Craton, according to a study published in Science on March 19. The shifting plates occurred during the Archean Eon.
- Scientific debate regarding when plate tectonics began has persisted, with estimates ranging from 4.4 billion years ago to much later dates. Determining this timeline is fundamental for understanding early Earth's geological history.
- Analyzing 900 rock samples from Pilbara over a 30 million-year period, the team found the formation shifted latitude from 53 degrees to 77 degrees and rotated clockwise by more than 90 degrees. This drift averaged tens of centimeters annually.
- Lead author Alec Brenner, a postdoctoral associate at Yale University, said the lithosphere was not a "big, unbroken shell across the globe, as a lot of people have argued before." The research confirms the crust was segmented into moveable pieces.
- Harvard University professor Roger Fu noted that understanding when plate tectonics began is fundamental because "it makes everything else make sense." The study provides critical evidence of Earth's transition toward a plate tectonics world.
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Study Shows Movement Of Tectonic Plates 3.5 Billion Years Ago - Astrobiology
The history of the Earth is written on the great tablets of tectonic plates. The motions of plates shaped land masses, formed oceans, and created the varied climates and habitats that set the stage for evolution and the diversity of life. But this grand drama begins with a deep mystery: just when did the continental […] The post Study Shows Movement Of Tectonic Plates 3.5 Billion Years Ago appeared first on Astrobiology.
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