Rocks in Quebec Found to Be Oldest on Earth
Two different testing methods found that rocks from an area called the Nuvvuagittuq Greenstone Belt in northern Quebec date to 4.16 billion years ago, a time known as the Hadean eon. The eon is named after the ancient Greek god of the underworld, Hades, owing to the hellish landscape thought to have existed then on Earth.
The research indicates that the Nuvvuagittuq Greenstone Belt harbors surviving fragments of Earth's oldest crust, the planet's outermost solid shell. The Nuvvuagittuq rocks are mainly metamorphosed volcanic rocks of basaltic composition. Metamorphosed rock is a kind that has been changed by heat and pressure over time. Basalt is a common type of volcanic rock.
The rocks tested in the new study were called intrusions. That means they formed when magma — molten rock — penetrated existing rock layers and then cooled and solidified underground.
The researchers applied two dating methods based on an analysis of the radioactive decay of the elements samarium and neodymium contained in them. Both produced the same conclusion — that the rocks were 4.16 billion years old.
Future chemical analyses of these rocks could provide insight into Earth's conditions during the Hadean, a time shrouded in mystery because of the paucity of physical remains.'These rocks and the Nuvvuagittuq belt being the only rock record from the Hadean, they offer a unique window into our planet's earliest time to better understand how the first crust formed on Earth and what were the geodynamic processes involved,' said University of Ottawa geology Prof. Jonathan O'Neil, who led the study published on June 26 in the journal Science.
The rocks may have formed when rain fell on molten rock, cooling and solidifying it. That rain would have been composed of water evaporated from Earth's primordial seas.
'Since some of these rocks were also formed from precipitation from the ancient seawater, they can shed light on the first oceans' composition, temperatures and help establish the environment where life could have begun on Earth,' O'Neil said.
Until now, the oldest-known rocks were ones dating to about 4.03 billion years ago from Canada's Northwest Territories, O'Neil said.
While the Nuvvuagittuq samples are now the oldest-known rocks, tiny crystals of the mineral zircon from western Australia have been dated to 4.4 billion years old.
The Hadean ran from Earth's formation roughly 4.5 billion years ago until 4.03 billion years ago. Early during this eon, a huge collision occurred that is believed to have resulted in the formation of the moon. But by the time the Nuvvuagittuq rocks formed, Earth had begun to become a more recognizable place.
'The Earth was certainly not a big ball of molten lava during the entire Hadean eon, as its name would suggest. By nearly 4.4 billion years ago, a rocky crust already existed on Earth, likely mostly basaltic and covered with shallow and warmer oceans. An atmosphere was present, but different than the present-day atmosphere,' O'Neil said.
There had been some controversy over the age of Nuvvuagittuq rocks.
As reported in a study published in 2008, previous tests on samples from the volcanic rock layers that contained the intrusions yielded conflicting dates — one giving an age of 4.3 billion years and another giving a younger age of 3.3 to 3.8 billion years. O'Neil said the discrepancy may have been because the method that produced the conclusion of a younger age was sensitive to thermal events that have occurred since the rock formed, skewing the finding.
The new study, with two testing methods producing harmonious conclusions on the age of the intrusion rocks, provides a minimum age for the volcanic rocks that contain these intrusions, O'Neil added.
'The intrusion would be 4.16 billion years old, and because the volcanic rocks must be older, their best age would be 4.3 billion years old, as supported by the 2008 study,' O'Neil said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Japan Times
3 days ago
- Japan Times
‘Unprecedented' ocean heat waves in 2023 suggest climate tipping point
The world's oceans experienced a staggering amount of warming in 2023, as vast marine heat waves affected 96% of their surface, breaking records for intensity, longevity and scale, according to a new study. That could mark a turning point in the way the oceans behave, potentially signaling a tipping point after which average sea temperatures will be reset higher and some ecosystems may not recover, say the authors of the study, which was published Thursday in the journal Science. "The ocean going to a new normal — that controls everything,' said Zhenzhong Zeng, an Earth systems scientist at China's Southern University of Science and Technology, who led the work. "Once we destroy it, then maybe it cannot go back.' Ninety percent of the 2023 oceanic heating anomalies occurred in the North Atlantic, tropical Eastern Pacific, North Pacific and Southwest Pacific. The average length of the heat waves was 120 days — four times the average length between 1980 and 2023, according to Tianyun Dong, lead author on the paper and an Earth systems scientist at China's Eastern Institute of Technology. The North Atlantic marine heat wave, which began in 2022, stretched for 525 days. "The ocean has a long memory,' Dong said. It plays a key role regulating global temperatures by storing and gradually releasing large amounts of heat, but because it is slower to react than the atmosphere, the impact of long-term heat changes can be both delayed and enormous. The researchers used a combination of real-world measurements from the ocean, satellite data and computer modeling to determine the scope and causes of the heating. The highest temperature spike was seen in the Tropical Eastern Pacific, which was 1.63 degrees Celsius hotter than normal. While the onset of the El Nino weather phase likely contributed to that, a key finding of the paper is the extent to which different drivers played a role in marine heat waves in different locations. Other factors include increased solar radiation from reduced cloud cover; weaker winds; and changes in ocean currents — factors which can themselves be caused by global warming. Taken together, they show climate change is having an intensifying impact on the oceans. What the paper doesn't explain is why so many drivers came together in 2023, resulting in so many smashed records, said Zeng. It may be that these changes are beginning to reinforce each other in ways that are not yet understood. Identifying such feedback loops, and figuring out their mechanics, is critical to understanding future heat events, he said. In the near term, a marine heat wave can be devastating for humans who depend on the ocean for their livelihood, like fishing communities. "It can also fuel stronger hurricanes and storms along the coast,' said Yuntian Chen, a researcher in mechanics at China's Eastern Institute of Technology and one of the study's authors. And if ocean heat reaches a tipping point, some species won't recover. There are already concerns this could be the case for some of the world's largest coral reefs. That has other ramifications: The loss of coral and kelp, for example, reduces the ocean's ability to sequester carbon, which leads to more heating. The hottest year on record was 2023 — until 2024, when the Earth's average temperature reached 1.55 C above the pre-industrial average, according to the World Meteorological Organization, and when the average ocean temperatures hit a new high. This year is unlikely to break the annual record again, but is expected to come close. June 2025 was the third-warmest June in 176 years, after 2024 and 2023, according to a recent report by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The WMO tracks global temperatures based on six international datasets, including one run by NOAA, whose NCEI Coastal Water Temperature Guide was decommissioned by the U.S. government in May. Zeng's team relied on NOAA data for its work, some of which is no longer available. The cutbacks are "a disaster,' he said. "We are all living on the same planet. The climate is really changing.'
Japan Times
7 days ago
- Japan Times
Scientists can't stay in their ivory tower
For decades, scientists were told to stay neutral, stay professional — and stay in the lab. But today, as U.S. researchers rally in the streets and lawmakers slash science budgets, one thing is clear: science can't stay in its ivory tower anymore. In March, over 2,000 researchers, students and supporters gathered across the United States to protest sweeping science and technology budget cuts. The Trump administration's proposed budget for fiscal year 2026 — dubbed by some as a 'skinny' or 'beautiful' budget — proposes a 47% cut to NASA's science budget and a staggering 56% cut to the National Science Foundation (NSF). Funding for climate change research has been virtually eliminated. Unless Congress intervenes, the U.S. faces the most severe science and technology budget cuts in modern history. In response, scientists across the country are beginning to speak out. NASA employees held peaceful protests opposing the proposed cuts, while nearly 2,000 leading U.S. scientists — including over 30 Nobel laureates and numerous members of the National Academies — signed an open letter warning that the nation's scientific enterprise is being 'decimated' and issued an 'SOS' to the public. The American Association for the Advancement of Science — the world's largest multidisciplinary scientific society — also urged scientists to speak publicly and engage policymakers. As its CEO Sudip Parikh warned, 'If enacted, the FY2026 budget request would end America's global scientific leadership.' This level of public mobilization by scientists is rare in the U.S., where most academics were trained to stay 'above politics.' But in this moment, they realized something critical: Silence can't protect science. As a Japanese scientist who has lived in the United States for over two decades, I'm watching this unfold with deep concern — and a sense of deja vu. While Japan's science funding hasn't yet faced cuts on the scale of the U.S., the underlying threats are already present: public disengagement, institutional invisibility and a shrinking voice in policymaking. In Japan, researchers are often taught that engaging in public debate or policy will jeopardize their credibility. We pride ourselves on being impartial and apolitical. These are admirable traits in scholarship — but dangerous in the public sphere. If scientists don't tell our story — of discovery, impact and public benefit — others will tell it for us. And not everyone has science's best interest in mind. Already, we see mounting political and societal pressure around AI ethics, environmental policy and gender equity in STEM. These are areas where science should guide the conversation — not respond after the fact. In the U.S., we're seeing a cultural shift. Scientists are not just publishing papers — they're writing op-eds, organizing briefings with lawmakers and speaking directly to the public. Their message is clear: Science is not separate from society — it serves society. Japan, too, has ambitions to globalize its research base. Last month, the Cabinet Office launched J-RISE (Japan Research & Innovation for Scientific Excellence) — a ¥100 billion ($673 million) initiative to make Japan the world's most attractive destination for researchers. While the U.S. faces historic cuts to science and technology funding, Japan is signaling its commitment to global scientific leadership. But there's a paradox: While the Japanese government actively seeks foreign talent, many domestic researchers still hesitate to engage with their own communities or shape the future of science policy. One institutional tool the U.S. has embraced is the idea of 'Broader Impacts.' Every NSF proposal requires researchers to explain how their work will benefit society — whether through education, outreach or broader societal impacts. Outreach is not a side project; it is baked into the mission of science. This expectation reflects a core reality: Most scientific research is publicly funded and scientists have a responsibility to give back to society. Japan has no such requirement, and as a result, science communication and community connection are often seen as optional — or even overlooked — in Japanese academic culture. Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to visit Capitol Hill shortly after the Trump administration took office, as a member of the U.S.–Japan Network for the Future, a policy fellowship organized by the Mansfield Foundation and the Japan Foundation. I am honored to be the first scientist ever selected for this program. Our cohort of scholars and policy practitioners engaged directly with congressional staff and U.S. agencies, gaining insight into how science and policy intersect — and often collide. We recently traveled to Tokyo and Kyushu, where cities like Fukuoka and Kumamoto are transforming into "Japan's Silicon Valley,' driven by the semiconductor industry, government-backed startup accelerators and progressive immigration initiatives. These experiences underscored a critical truth: Science, diplomacy and innovation are inseparable — yet scientists remain largely absent from policymaking circles. Now is the time for scientists to return to society — not just as experts, but as engaged members of the public we serve. We must listen, communicate and collaborate. In a divided information landscape, science alone will not speak for itself. We must. Yuko Kakazu, an astrophysicist, is a cohort member of the Mansfield Foundation's U.S.-Japan Network for the Future.
Yomiuri Shimbun
10-07-2025
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Rocks in Quebec Found to Be Oldest on Earth
Along the eastern shore of Hudson Bay in Canada's northeastern province of Quebec, near the Inuit municipality of Inukjuak, resides a belt of volcanic rock that displays a blend of dark and light green colors, with flecks of pink and black. New testing shows that these are Earth's oldest-known rocks. Two different testing methods found that rocks from an area called the Nuvvuagittuq Greenstone Belt in northern Quebec date to 4.16 billion years ago, a time known as the Hadean eon. The eon is named after the ancient Greek god of the underworld, Hades, owing to the hellish landscape thought to have existed then on Earth. The research indicates that the Nuvvuagittuq Greenstone Belt harbors surviving fragments of Earth's oldest crust, the planet's outermost solid shell. The Nuvvuagittuq rocks are mainly metamorphosed volcanic rocks of basaltic composition. Metamorphosed rock is a kind that has been changed by heat and pressure over time. Basalt is a common type of volcanic rock. The rocks tested in the new study were called intrusions. That means they formed when magma — molten rock — penetrated existing rock layers and then cooled and solidified underground. The researchers applied two dating methods based on an analysis of the radioactive decay of the elements samarium and neodymium contained in them. Both produced the same conclusion — that the rocks were 4.16 billion years old. Future chemical analyses of these rocks could provide insight into Earth's conditions during the Hadean, a time shrouded in mystery because of the paucity of physical remains.'These rocks and the Nuvvuagittuq belt being the only rock record from the Hadean, they offer a unique window into our planet's earliest time to better understand how the first crust formed on Earth and what were the geodynamic processes involved,' said University of Ottawa geology Prof. Jonathan O'Neil, who led the study published on June 26 in the journal Science. The rocks may have formed when rain fell on molten rock, cooling and solidifying it. That rain would have been composed of water evaporated from Earth's primordial seas. 'Since some of these rocks were also formed from precipitation from the ancient seawater, they can shed light on the first oceans' composition, temperatures and help establish the environment where life could have begun on Earth,' O'Neil said. Until now, the oldest-known rocks were ones dating to about 4.03 billion years ago from Canada's Northwest Territories, O'Neil said. While the Nuvvuagittuq samples are now the oldest-known rocks, tiny crystals of the mineral zircon from western Australia have been dated to 4.4 billion years old. The Hadean ran from Earth's formation roughly 4.5 billion years ago until 4.03 billion years ago. Early during this eon, a huge collision occurred that is believed to have resulted in the formation of the moon. But by the time the Nuvvuagittuq rocks formed, Earth had begun to become a more recognizable place. 'The Earth was certainly not a big ball of molten lava during the entire Hadean eon, as its name would suggest. By nearly 4.4 billion years ago, a rocky crust already existed on Earth, likely mostly basaltic and covered with shallow and warmer oceans. An atmosphere was present, but different than the present-day atmosphere,' O'Neil said. There had been some controversy over the age of Nuvvuagittuq rocks. As reported in a study published in 2008, previous tests on samples from the volcanic rock layers that contained the intrusions yielded conflicting dates — one giving an age of 4.3 billion years and another giving a younger age of 3.3 to 3.8 billion years. O'Neil said the discrepancy may have been because the method that produced the conclusion of a younger age was sensitive to thermal events that have occurred since the rock formed, skewing the finding. The new study, with two testing methods producing harmonious conclusions on the age of the intrusion rocks, provides a minimum age for the volcanic rocks that contain these intrusions, O'Neil added. 'The intrusion would be 4.16 billion years old, and because the volcanic rocks must be older, their best age would be 4.3 billion years old, as supported by the 2008 study,' O'Neil said.
