Recent research reveals that the first land to emerge from Earth's oceans was about 3.2 billion years ago predating previous estimates by 700 million years.
Earth's first piece of land: There was a time in Earth's history when the entire planet was covered by oceans, with no land visible on the surface. Gradually, some parts of land started to emerge from the oceans. But have you ever wondered which part of the Earth came out of the water first? Recently, scientists have discovered the answer to this fascinating question, and surprisingly, the first land to emerge from the oceans is located in India.
This week, scientists made two significant discoveries. First, they found that the earliest continents on Earth began emerging from the oceans 700 million years earlier than previously believed. Second, the first land to rise out of the sea, about 3.2 billion years ago, was in the Singhbhum region of Jharkhand, India. This breakthrough study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, involved collaboration between scientists from India, Australia, and the United States.
To uncover this ancient history, the researchers analyzed the sandstones from the Singhbhum region. These sandstones revealed geological evidence of ancient river channels, tidal flats, and beaches that date back more than 3 billion years. This evidence suggests that this region was the earliest crust to come into contact with Earth's atmosphere.
The researchers also explored the forces that caused the Singhbhum landmass to rise from the ocean. By studying both the sandstones and granite in the area, they gained insights into when and how this process occurred. They discovered that around 3.5 to 3.2 billion years ago, hot magma beneath Earth's crust caused certain parts of the craton (a stable part of the continental crust) to thicken. This thickened crust became rich in lighter materials such as silica and quartz. As a result, the craton became physically thicker and chemically lighter than the denser rocks surrounding it, which caused it to rise above the water.
Over time, the crust in this region thickened to about 50 kilometers, allowing it to float on the ocean like an iceberg. This process eventually led to the emergence of the first landmass on Earth, marking a significant milestone in our planet's geological history.
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 "Study reveals first land to emerge from Earth's oceans")
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