Recent geological discoveries by researchers at MIT and Oxford University have identified ancient rocks in Greenland that contain the oldest known remnants of Earth's magnetic field, dating back 3.7 billion years. These findings, which suggest the magnetic field was already at half-strength at that time, could extend the known age of Earth's magnetic field by 200 million years. Benjamin Weiss noted the importance of this period as it coincides with the emergence of life. The similarities between the ancient magnetic field and the one surrounding Earth today have significant implications for understanding the early conditions under which life on Earth emerged.
Scientists Found Evidence of the Magnetic Field in 3.7 Billion-Year-Old Rocks https://t.co/Ekx4IvTxdM
“It’s a pity that, just by using magnets, we’ve been destroying this scientific information that was stored there for 4 billion years.” #ScienceMagArchives https://t.co/q2CEZwzgf4
A 3.7-billion-year-old rock recorded Earth’s magnetic field, and it was remarkably similar to the field surrounding Earth today. https://t.co/x91A8vdEsB
Did Earth’s magnetic field look the same 3.7 billion years ago? 🌍🧲 New findings suggest it might! Let's dive into what this means for us. #EarthScience https://t.co/qsZYsMT5A2
Geologists at MIT and Oxford University have found ancient rocks in Greenland that bear the oldest remnants of Earth’s early magnetic field. https://t.co/xhnWMa7c5e
The planet's magnetic field was already at half-strength 3.7 billion years ago. https://t.co/kx0Rjh7z7B
Geologists have uncovered ancient rocks in Greenland bearing the oldest remnants of Earth’s magnetic field—potentially extending its age by 200 million years. “That’s important because that’s the time when we think life was emerging,” Benjamin Weiss says. https://t.co/pGGAhty74Y https://t.co/CdBuRfhF3E