DiscoverTiny MattersZircon: How this tiny, ancient mineral is upending what scientists believed about early Earth
Zircon: How this tiny, ancient mineral is upending what scientists believed about early Earth

Zircon: How this tiny, ancient mineral is upending what scientists believed about early Earth

Update: 2025-09-03
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How did the early Earth, over four billion years ago, evolve into the planet we know and love today? It’s a big question, and an open question. To get answers, geologists turn to a surprising source — a tiny mineral no bigger than the diameter of a human hair, that has secrets about our planet locked away in its crystal structure. This miniscule mineral, with its big stories is called zircon.

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Zircon: How this tiny, ancient mineral is upending what scientists believed about early Earth

Zircon: How this tiny, ancient mineral is upending what scientists believed about early Earth