Establishing the planet’s age involves radiometric dating of the oldest known materials from the Solar System, primarily meteorites. These meteorites are considered remnants from the early solar nebula, the cloud of gas and dust that coalesced to form the Sun and planets. By analyzing the decay of long-lived radioactive isotopes within these samples, scientists determine their age, providing a reliable estimate for the formation of the solar system and, consequently, Earth.
Understanding the age of our planet provides a crucial framework for comprehending the timeline of geological and biological evolution. It allows scientists to contextualize events like the formation of continents, the emergence of life, and major extinction events within a deep temporal perspective. Knowledge of this temporal scale is essential for understanding Earth’s dynamic processes and projecting future environmental changes.
