Radioisotope studies show the continental crust formed 3 billion years ago

Friday, July 3, 2015 - 08:30 in Earth & Climate

(Phys.org)—New research sheds light on how and when the modern day continents began to form. Researchers from the University of Bristol analyzed radio isotope abundances in 13,000 samples of continental crust of varying age and found that the continents began to form around 3 billion years ago. This date may coincide with when plate tectonics began. Their research appears in Nature Geoscience.

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