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The World’s Oldest Crystals Are 4.4 Billion Years Old And Contain Traces Of Something Even OlderA Jack Hills zircon around 200 micrometers across. Not only are these the oldest surviving crystals on the planet, they contain clues to what was there even before them.

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The World’s Oldest Crystals Are 4.4 Billion Years Old And Contain Traces Of Something Even OlderA Jack Hills zircon around 200 micrometers across. Not only are these the oldest surviving crystals on the planet, they contain clues to what was there even before them.
nature-iconplanet earth

The World’s Oldest Crystals Are 4.4 Billion Years Old And Contain Traces Of Something Even Older

clock-iconMay 21, 2026

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A Volcano That Slept For 100,000 Years Never Actually Went Extinct, Suggesting Other Quiet Volcanoes Could Be More Dangerous Than We ThoughtThe youngest eruption of the Methana volcano (brown) flowing into the sea, with limestone in the background.

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A Volcano That Slept For 100,000 Years Never Actually Went Extinct, Suggesting Other Quiet Volcanoes Could Be More Dangerous Than We ThoughtThe youngest eruption of the Methana volcano (brown) flowing into the sea, with limestone in the background.
nature-iconenvironment

A Volcano That Slept For 100,000 Years Never Actually Went Extinct, Suggesting Other Quiet Volcanoes Could Be More Dangerous Than We Thought

clock-iconMay 20, 2026

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The Planet’s Oldest Minerals Reveal Possible Continents Before 4 Billion Years AgoThis Jack Hills rock containing quartz pebbles is from the Archean eon 3.05-2.65 billion years ago, but the zircons within it are much older.

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The Planet’s Oldest Minerals Reveal Possible Continents Before 4 Billion Years AgoThis Jack Hills rock containing quartz pebbles is from the Archean eon 3.05-2.65 billion years ago, but the zircons within it are much older.
nature-iconplanet earth

The Planet’s Oldest Minerals Reveal Possible Continents Before 4 Billion Years Ago

clock-iconFebruary 4, 2026
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Where Are The Oldest Rocks In The World, And What's Inside Them?A large section of rock on display at a museum. The rock is pale with grey streaks running through it.

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Where Are The Oldest Rocks In The World, And What's Inside Them?A large section of rock on display at a museum. The rock is pale with grey streaks running through it.
nature-iconplanet earth

Where Are The Oldest Rocks In The World, And What's Inside Them?

clock-iconApril 3, 2025
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4.4-Billion-Year-Old Piece Of Earth Is One Of The Oldest Things We’ve Ever FoundMicroscope image of a small, blue zircon crystal found in Jack Hills, Australia, confirmed to be the oldest bit of the Earth's crust.

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4.4-Billion-Year-Old Piece Of Earth Is One Of The Oldest Things We’ve Ever FoundMicroscope image of a small, blue zircon crystal found in Jack Hills, Australia, confirmed to be the oldest bit of the Earth's crust.
nature-iconplanet earth

4.4-Billion-Year-Old Piece Of Earth Is One Of The Oldest Things We’ve Ever Found

clock-iconDecember 14, 2024
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Ancient Mars Had Hot Springs Suited To Life, Meteorite Crystal ShowsA slice taken from NSWA 7034, also known as Black Beauty, an asteroid that contains crystals from many parts of Mars, including one very revealing zircon

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Ancient Mars Had Hot Springs Suited To Life, Meteorite Crystal ShowsA slice taken from NSWA 7034, also known as Black Beauty, an asteroid that contains crystals from many parts of Mars, including one very revealing zircon
space-iconAstronomy

Ancient Mars Had Hot Springs Suited To Life, Meteorite Crystal Shows

clock-iconNovember 22, 2024
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Stonehenge's Famous Altar Stone May Be From Scotland, Over 700 Kilometers AwayA drone shot of Stonehenge in Wiltshire, southwest England, on a misty morning.

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Stonehenge's Famous Altar Stone May Be From Scotland, Over 700 Kilometers AwayA drone shot of Stonehenge in Wiltshire, southwest England, on a misty morning.
humans-iconarchaeology

Stonehenge's Famous Altar Stone May Be From Scotland, Over 700 Kilometers Away

clock-iconAugust 14, 2024
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The World’s Oldest Crystals Contain Traces Of Even Older SedimentsA Jack Hills zircon around 200 micrometers across. Not only are these the oldest surviving crystals on the planet, they contain clues to what was there even before them.

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The World’s Oldest Crystals Contain Traces Of Even Older SedimentsA Jack Hills zircon around 200 micrometers across. Not only are these the oldest surviving crystals on the planet, they contain clues to what was there even before them.
nature-iconplanet earth

The World’s Oldest Crystals Contain Traces Of Even Older Sediments

clock-iconJuly 8, 2024
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Oldest Crystals In The World Reveal Earth Had Rain And Oceans 4 Billion Years AgoA zircon grain (0.250 mm by 0.070 mm, approximately the width of a human hair). These are the oldest minerals on Earth and provide crucial insight into the early Earth.

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Oldest Crystals In The World Reveal Earth Had Rain And Oceans 4 Billion Years AgoA zircon grain (0.250 mm by 0.070 mm, approximately the width of a human hair). These are the oldest minerals on Earth and provide crucial insight into the early Earth.
nature-iconplanet earth

Oldest Crystals In The World Reveal Earth Had Rain And Oceans 4 Billion Years Ago

clock-iconJune 4, 2024
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Rare Yellow Desert Glass Was Created By A Meteorite ImpactA yellow piece of glass on a white background

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Rare Yellow Desert Glass Was Created By A Meteorite ImpactA yellow piece of glass on a white background
space-iconSpace and Physics

Rare Yellow Desert Glass Was Created By A Meteorite Impact

clock-iconNovember 24, 2023
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490-Million-Year-Old Trilobites Encased In Volcanic Rock Could Solve Ancient Geography PuzzleArtist's rendering of a trilobite

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490-Million-Year-Old Trilobites Encased In Volcanic Rock Could Solve Ancient Geography PuzzleArtist's rendering of a trilobite
nature-iconPalaeontology

490-Million-Year-Old Trilobites Encased In Volcanic Rock Could Solve Ancient Geography Puzzle

clock-iconNovember 22, 2023
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Lunar Crystals From Apollo Mission Show Moon Is 40 Million Years Older Than ThoughtThe astronaut is staning on the lunar surface. The patch is in is quite sandy and he's using a rake to collect material.

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Lunar Crystals From Apollo Mission Show Moon Is 40 Million Years Older Than ThoughtThe astronaut is staning on the lunar surface. The patch is in is quite sandy and he's using a rake to collect material.
space-iconAstronomy

Lunar Crystals From Apollo Mission Show Moon Is 40 Million Years Older Than Thought

clock-iconOctober 23, 2023
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At 4.4 Billion Years Old, This Is The Oldest Piece Of Earth Ever FoundBlue zircon crystal was from the Jack Hills region of Australia and confirmed to be the oldest bit of the Earth's crust.

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At 4.4 Billion Years Old, This Is The Oldest Piece Of Earth Ever FoundBlue zircon crystal was from the Jack Hills region of Australia and confirmed to be the oldest bit of the Earth's crust.
nature-iconplanet earth

At 4.4 Billion Years Old, This Is The Oldest Piece Of Earth Ever Found

clock-iconApril 14, 2023
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Giant Meteorite Impacts May Have Created Earth’s ContinentsMassive asteroid impact

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Giant Meteorite Impacts May Have Created Earth’s ContinentsMassive asteroid impact
nature-iconplanet earth

Giant Meteorite Impacts May Have Created Earth’s Continents

clock-iconAugust 10, 2022
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Researchers Have Figured Out The Hottest Temperature Ever Recorded On Eartharticle image

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Researchers Have Figured Out The Hottest Temperature Ever Recorded On Eartharticle image
nature-iconNature

Researchers Have Figured Out The Hottest Temperature Ever Recorded On Earth

clock-iconSeptember 14, 2017