Scientific publications and announcements from major geological research institutions

MIT, Oxford Find Oldest Earth's Magnetic Field Evidence, Dating 3.7 Billion Years

Apr 27, 2024, 07:30 PM

Recent research by geologists at MIT and Oxford University has uncovered ancient rocks in Greenland that contain the oldest known remnants of Earth's magnetic field, dating back at least 3.7 billion years. This discovery, indicating that Earth's magnetic field was already at half-strength at that time, provides new insights into the history of our planet's magnetism, including evidence of many more magnetic pole shifts. Benjamin Weiss from MIT highlighted the significance of this finding, noting that this period coincides with the time when life is believed to have been emerging.