Earth formed about 4.6 billion years ago, during the geological eon known as the Hadean. The name "Hadean" comes from the Greek god of the underworld, reflecting the extreme heat that likely ...

Olivine cumulate from the Weltevreden Formation showing that although these cumulates are significantly altered, they still contain preserved unaltered olivine cores (microscopic image taken in ...

Life thrived on Earth far earlier than previously believed, flourishing under the harsh reign of the Hadean eon. LUCA—the last universal common ancestor—was even designed to fend off ancient viruses.

The Nature Index 2025 Research Leaders — previously known as Annual Tables — reveal the leading institutions and countries/territories in the natural and health sciences, according to their output in ...

New ANU research is set to radically overturn the conventional wisdom that early Earth was a hellish planet barren of continents. An international research team led by Professor Mark Harrison of the ...

During the Hadean eon, Earth was a world of constant impacts, molten rock, and a toxic atmosphere. The surface was repeatedly melted by asteroid strikes while intense heat escaped from the planet’s ...

The Hadean is the earliest eon in Earth’s geologic history, spanning from the planet’s formation about 4.56 billion years ago to roughly 4.0 billion years ago. It is characterized by accretion from ...

Intro -- Preface -- References -- Contents -- 1 Why Hadean? -- Abstract -- 1.1 Introduction -- 1.2 Organization of This Book -- 1.2.1 A Brief Overview -- 1.2.2 Chapter Themes -- 1.3 Defining the ...

Rocks older than 4.03 billion years could shed light on Earth's earliest geological history, but they're incredibly rare. Reading time 2 minutes Due to the movement of Earth’s tectonic plates, our ...

An artistic reconstruction of Earth during the Hadean eon (~4.5 billion years ago). Intense volcanic activity, heat from accretion, and frequent impacts kept the young Earth in a molten state. This ...