Diamond News
A tiny 4.4-billion-year-old crystal has been confirmed as the oldest fragment of Earth's crust.
Andrei VesselovskiA tiny 4.4-billion-year-old crystal has been confirmed as the oldest fragment of Earth's crust.
The zircon was found in sandstone in the Jack Hills region of Western Australia.
Scientists dated the crystal by studying its uranium and lead atoms. The former decays into the latter very slowly over time and can be used like a clock.
The zircon was found in sandstone in the Jack Hills region of Western Australia.
Scientists dated the crystal by studying its uranium and lead atoms. The former decays into the latter very slowly over time and can be used like a clock.
| Crystal is 'oldest scrap of Earth crust' - BBC News A tiny 4.4-billion-year-old crystal from the Jack Hills region of Western Australia is confirmed as the oldest fragment of Earth's crust. |
