Intro -- Preface -- References -- Contents -- 1 Why Hadean? -- Abstract -- 1.1 Introduction -- 1.2 Organization of This Book -- 1.2.1 A Brief Overview -- 1.2.2 Chapter Themes -- 1.3 Defining the ...

Our Earth is about 4.5 billion years old and, through careful work, scientists have pieced together a timeline of its past. But much of its earliest history remains a mystery. Scant geological ...

An artistic reconstruction of Earth during the Hadean eon (~4.5 billion years ago). Intense volcanic activity, heat from accretion, and frequent impacts kept the young Earth in a molten state. This ...

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, ...

From Earth’s oldest rocks to glowing swamp lights and hidden ocean life, scientists in 2025 uncovered clues beneath our feet and seas that reshape how we understand the planet today.