News From the Field

New study zeros in on plate tectonics' start date


January 21, 2016

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A new study from the University of Maryland suggests that plate tectonics--the dynamic processes that formed Earth's mountains, volcanoes and continents--began about 3 billion years ago. By analyzing trace element ratios that correlate to magnesium content in ancient Earth's crust, the researchers provide first-order geochemical evidence for when plate tectonics first got underway.Full Story

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University of Maryland

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