The tectonic plates are famous for their scientific theory, which made the Earth what it is now, and Harvard University researchers gathered up information to pinpoint exactly how long it has been here. The findings claim that it is 3.25 billion years old, and its shift to breaking apart and drifting away from each other sees evidenced by this study.
The team studied ancient fragments from rocks that support the data in this study, delivering a new advancement to the ancient history of the planet.
Harvard: Earth's Tectonic Plates Are 3.25b Years Old
(Photo : Alec Brenner)
Harvard researchers published a new study regarding its findings behind the Earth's tectonic plates, which determined the age of the massive land formation, which helped shape the world into what it is. The research is published in PNAS, and it centers on proving what happened to the planet billions of years ago.
According to a press release from Harvard via EurekAlert, the shreds of evidence of the research aim to help explain what happened in the past and how it influenced life on Earth.
Harvard geologists Alec Brenner and Roger Fu said that the team focused on Pilbara Craton, located in Western Australia, to study and determine the information they were able to gather.
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Earth's Magnetic Poles Switched, Causing the Drift
The researchers regarded that the Earth's changes in magnetic poles caused these tectonic plates to shift, and for the longest time now, the plates moved at a rate of 6.1 centimeters per year and 0.55 degrees every million years.
The study supports the current state of the planet, providing evidence of how the Earth came to be from its previous position.
Tectonic Plates: Its Role that Shaped Continents
Earth's geography is still a focus of the world amidst this technological advancement, and researchers still aim to explain how the planet came to be like this, despite looking back billions of years. The answer lies in the past and present, something that will affect the future, as there are massive theories that the planet is still active in its tectonic plate shift alongside Mercury.
The planet's shift in its tectonic plate is inevitable, something that researchers are intent on proving to scientific law, especially as it is only a highly-regarded theory now.
It was once said that the Earth is made up of one continent only, and it is with Pangea, which then started to break apart and drift away from each other, now seeing seven major continents worldwide. Still, many opinions and studies help shape the reason behind the tectonic plates' shift to what it is now, with different evidence behind it.
Researchers from Harvard were able to make a breakthrough in their studies to determine the tectonic plates' age, especially as the quest to unveil the mysteries behind it continues. There are more things to prove regarding the Earth's geography, especially as new technology surfaces to help understand the world better.
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Written by Isaiah Richard
