The Earth was a deadly place 4.5 billion years ago.
It’s widely agreed the Earth is approximately 4.54 billion years old. Scientists examined a variety of meteorites, lunar samples, and rocks to answer the age-old question.
While small crystals of zircon from the Jack Hills of Western Australia are at least 4.404 billion years old, meteorites have been dated at 4.567 billion years old. This finding provides both an age for the solar system and guide for determining the age of Earth.
Meteorites are important in this process because Earth essentially formed from the space dust, asteroids and meteors left over after the sun burst into life. As these ‘ingredients’ came together, the gravitational pull of the growing mass of rock caused more material to be attracted to it.
The new Earth was deadly to life as we know it. There was no atmosphere, the surface was boiling with lava, and the planet was surrounded by a cloud of dust.
Short answer: Although some religious followers claim the Earth is only 6000 years old, scientific findings put the age of the planet at 4.54 billion years.
