Quebec Rocks Break World Record at 4.16 Billion Years Old

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Scientists have confirmed Earth's oldest rocks exist in Canada's northern Quebec - dating back an astonishing 4.16 billion years!

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Located near Inukjuak along Hudson Bay, these primordial rocks from the Nuvvuagittuq Greenstone Belt formed during Earth's earliest period - the Hadean eon.

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Why is this discovery significant? These rocks existed when Earth was barely 300 million years old - a time when our planet was still cooling from its molten beginning!

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The debate over these rocks' age has raged for 15 years until researchers finally settled it with two different dating methods that yielded identical results: 4.16 billion years.

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How did these ancient formations survive for so long? The Canadian Shield's stable crust protected them from forces that destroyed other early rocks.

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These rocks offer a unique window into our planet's earliest time," explains lead researcher Jonathan O'Neil from the University of Ottawa.

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The rocks' chemical makeup suggests they formed when rain fell on molten rock - evidence that Earth had oceans much earlier than previously thought!

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Some researchers believe these formations may contain traces of early life, potentially pushing back the timeline for when life first emerged on our planet.

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The Inuit community that manages this land has raised concerns about damage from scientific expeditions - rocks have been found missing and later sold online.

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This groundbreaking discovery not only confirms Earth's oldest rocks but provides an unprecedented opportunity to study our planet's mysterious beginnings.

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