Scientists Confirm the Oldest Rock on Earth Is 4.16 Billion Years Old — And It’s in Canada

Scientists estimate that the age of our planet is about 4.5 billion years. They found this out using a process called Radiometric dating, which simply measures the rate of decay of radioactive isotopes found in ancient rocks and meteorites. It calculates how much time could have passed since those materials formed, from today’s age.

It is the same method the scientists used when they recently published a study confirming that the oldest known rocks on the surface of the Earth are currently located in Canada. Let’s dive deeper and explore how the locals reacted to the newly found scientific interest in the area.

A Record-Breaking Discovery in Northern Quebec

In the study published in Science.org, researchers have confirmed that a rock formation located in Northern Quebec is 4.16 billion years old, which easily makes it the oldest known rock on the planet.

The findings were not by accident, as the rocks were located in an area already thought to harbor remnants of the Earth’s crust from its earlier formation, in the Nuvvuagittuq Greenstone Belt.

Scientists used the radiometric dating method to date both samarium and neodymium isotopes in the rocks, which determined their rate of decay. Since our planet was estimated to be about 4.5 billion years old, this rock formation was just 400 million years younger than Earth itself.

Read more: Science.org

What the Rock Tells Us About Early Earth

Quebec scientists find world's oldest rocks

After finding out the age of the rock formation, scientists have begun other experiments to find out more about the early days of Earth. They believe that these ancient rocks formed underwater, which could suggest that the water on the planet existed earlier than we realize.

The previously accepted date was that liquid water on Earth existed about 3.8 billion years ago. However, these rocks are crystallized volcanic material that formed when magma cooled down rapidly, which is thought to have been caused by rain or by being underwater.

These are simple clues that will need further studies before confirming any other significant dates in our planet’s history. But as of now, the signs point to Earth having a solid crust and active oceans far earlier than we previously thought.

A Site of Scientific and Cultural Importance

Even before the discovery of the study, the site already held some significance due to being in a territory near the Inuit community of Inukjuak. Due to some history from the past, where people would damage the land and sell the rocks online as an unregulated sampling, the community is currently campaigning to protect their lands.

They are advocating to regulate the scientific experiments, and establish a protected park to guard the site not only for its scientific value but also for its cultural significance. Their efforts, hopefully, should preserve this geological treasure and balance research access and respect to the Inuit community’s territory.

Read more: CNN

Could It Contain Clues of Early Life?

Since this formation is the oldest known rocks on Earth, scientists began to question whether it could possess some clues about the existence of life on Earth during its early stages. However, currently, no confirmed signs have been scientifically accepted, and the presence of ancient microstructures in the rock, which could indicate microbial lifeforms, is heavily debated.

There’s only about 400 million years in between the Earth’s formation and these rocks’ age. This means if we could confirm any clues of life being present that early on, it would help us push back timelines for when our planet and even others could be habitable.

This is an important insight for when we are looking at the possible age of other planets and hypothesizing whether they could already possess life or not.

Scientists Discover Earth’s Oldest Rocks in Canada | WION Podcast

Author's Final Thoughts

These 4.16 billion-year-old rocks are not only ancient, but they also act as a time portal for our scientists to find out more about what happened during the early stages of our planet. However, it is also important to consider its cultural value and respect Canada’s Inuit community and their rights, while we are in the pursuit of more knowledge.

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