Finland holds the oldest bedrock in Europe, dating back over 3.5 billion years. This is more than 3,500 million years, making Finland’s bedrock older than the Earth itself by about a billion years. The oldest known bedrock in Finland was formed at least 3.75 billion years ago, according to an international team of researchers in the journal Geology. Through the chemical composition of these ancient rocks, it is believed that they originated from Greenland’s bedrock at that time.
During this ancient period, the earth’s underground chambers were barren, and only simple bacteria lived in the water. Creatures resembling crustaceans or fish would not develop in the seas until more than 3.2 billion years later. The memories of this ancient time were identified in zircon mineral crystals found in the sand of rivers like Tornionjoki, Iijoki, and Oulujoki, which had eroded from Finland’s oldest bedrock. These crystals contained radioactive elements older than the parent rock, revealing an even more ancient phase of the bedrock connected to Greenland.
The geological history of our planet is recorded in layers of rock that have accumulated over billions of years. Continents hold long memories due to their lighter composition compared to oceans. When continental slabs form from older rock material partially melting and crystallizing first, they “float” on a surface made up of heavier stone material below them. These continental plates gradually grow and collide with each other over time, while oceanic slabs form when heavy rock beneath them melts and recrystallizes into lighter minerals before sinking back down to earth’s surface over time.
The history of marine life is mainly understood through rocks brought from the sea to continents due to plate collisions between tectonic plates. Oceanic rock bottoms only date back about 200 million years, while continental memories span billions of years.
This geological history continues to shape our world today by providing glimpses into our planet’s ancient past and shaping its current landscape.
In conclusion, Finland holds some of Europe’s oldest rocks that contain memories dating back more than 3 billion years old. The geological history recorded in these rocks reveals fascinating insights into how our planet evolved over billions of years ago and how it continues to shape our world today through natural processes such as plate movements and volcanic activity.
