Bedrock: Earth's Earliest History
Bedrock explores Earth's Precambrian Era, covering the first 90% of our planet's history before humans and dinosaurs existed. The show describes an alien world that was nevertheless full of life, and helps listeners build a geologist's mental toolkit for seeing landscapes and natural phenomena differently. Episodes move chronologically from Earth's beginnings, offering transcripts, visuals, and references at the podcast's website.
Episodes
Mail Time! Dylan answers your questions
While we're on a break between seasons, and while I'm starting my new job, I figured this would be a nice palate cleanser. There's no script, just answers like I'd actually give in person.If YOU want your question to be on a future Mail Time (and listen to bonus episodes), join our Patreon here! Today, I talk about the day I fell in love with "fossil pond scum", some of my favorite field locations
Season 2 Recap: The Eoarchean
Get caught up on Season 2!The Eoarchean Era covers 4 to 3.6 billion years ago, Feb 15 to March 19 on the Earth Calendar. Highlights include: the oldest rock on Earth (24), a dimmer Sun (28), the Man in the Moon (35), the oldest ash (46) the oldest uncontested(-ish) evidence for life (50), and the oldest rocks in the USA (55).While you wait for Season 3, check out patreon.com/bedrockpodcast for epi
55: The Oldest Rock in the USA
Season 2 Finale!For 50 years, the title of "USA's Oldest Rock" was held on the prairies of western Minnesota. In 2025, that throne was usurped by a brand new study. Where is this "new" ancient location, what rocks are here, and how old are they? Stay tuned to find out!Dylan has an exciting announcement: he has a new visiting professor job at Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota! Thanks to everyo
54: The End of an Era
We finally end our great Greenland adventure with one final question: how did all these diverse rocks become squeezed together, 3.6 billion years ago? The answer to that question can tell us a lot about how the early Earth worked. According to some folks, plate tectonics was very similar to today. To others, Earth was a very alien world indeed. Along the way, we'll visit trenches off the coast of
53: The Great Fossil Debate
At long last, we finish the cliffhanger from Episode 52! Last time, I introduced one of the greatest debates in paleontology and geology. Are a few little triangles on the Greenland tundra Earth's oldest visible fossils, or just some funny-looking rocks? Today, we'll discuss both sides like a court case, laying out a decade of debate. This has been an episode Dylan has waited a long, long time to
The Return of Bedrock and Hometown Geology
Good news: After six months, my girlfriend's hospital odyssey is wrapping up for now.Bad news: My visiting professorship at GVSU has finally ended, and the job hunt continues.For better and for worse, I have more time to return to the podcasts. Bedrock and Hometown Geology will alternate on Wednesdays. The Brisbane episode of Hometown Geology will air June 24 for Patreon subscribers, and Episode 5
Life Update: Medical Hiatus
This brief update explains the long pause in episodes. A month ago, my girlfriend had a major, sudden hospital visit. The operation went smoothly, but there are many more hospital visits in the next few months. Episodes will return, but probably not until March. As always, thank you for your patience and well wishes!If you want to donate:One-off donations on PaypalMonthly donations on Patreon
52: The Thing in the Ice
Until now, all the clues for ancient life have been microscopic, beyond the realm of sight. Today, that begins to change. Ten years ago, a team of scientists showed the world a weird, lumpy rock that they claimed was the oldest microbial colony. Like a sci-fi movie, this specimen was found under melting ice in the high Arctic, unveiled from 3.7 billion years ago. But is it actually a fossil? Welco
Hometown Geology Pilot: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Here's a new monthly podcast that Dylan's releasing on Patreon! Hometown Geology focuses on cities/locations around the world, chosen by patrons. This pilot episode highlights Dylan's current hometown of Grand Rapids, MI, home of gypsum mines, coal forests, and mastodon skeletons. Want to hear next month's episode on Asuncion, Paraguay's capital, or to pick your own destination? Click here to sign
51: The Latest News on the Oldest Life
This episode, we focus on just one special boulder from the Greenland tundra, a rock that might have Earth's oldest fossils. Over the past 10 years, scientists from around the world have used the latest technology to reveal this rock's secrets, including research published this year. What have they found? Extra Credit: Make a time capsule or play a record.Patreon for monthly donations One-off dona
Bedrock Patreon Is Up Now!
Visit patreon.com/bedrockpodcast for bonus perks like new episodes, voting rights, and topic selection! P.S. Thanks to a bad cold, both my voice and the audio quality are not on par today. P.P.S. The cold has also delayed Episode 51, which will be up later this week.
50: The Oldest Evidence for Life?
Donate to support the show- anything is appreciated!Finally, 3.7 billion years ago, we reach some of the strongest evidence for life on Earth yet. It takes a while to find, and it only looks like a few dark crystals, but it's better than anything else we've seen so far. Along the way, we'll meet three scientists who helped define the quest for Earth's oldest fossils, including one of my old bosses
50th Episode Fireside Chat: What's Next?
In this casual chat, Dylan talks about the show's growth, the upcoming end of Season 2, a potential career shift to science communication, and other podcast recommendations. Thank you all for bringing this show to 50 episodes- here's to 50 more!Donate to support the show- anything is appreciated!
49: The Fossil Quest
Many folks have claimed to find Earth's oldest fossils in the Greenland rocks, 3.7 billion years old. Before we meet and judge these contenders, we need to learn what counts as a fossil. This early in Earth history, nothing has any bones or teeth or shells, so researchers need to search for other clues. Today, I'll show you four ways to look for fossils in Earth's oldest rocks, including my person
48: The Impossible Rock
What is the hardest rock to make? Today's rock is very common in Earth's ancient past, and it should be everywhere today. However, it's nearly impossible to form in nature or the laboratory. Some experiments have tried for 32 years with no success! This rock is dolomite. Today, we address The Dolomite Problem, one of geology's longest-running mysteries. Along the way, we'll meet some smelly but he
47: The Limestone Family
Donate to support the show- anything is appreciated!Today is a tale of two sisters: limestone and dolomite. Limestone is far more popular and well-behaved, one of the most common stones in nature and in architecture. Dolomite, though similar in many ways, is one of the most difficult rocks to make on Earth. Even dolomite’s name is a bone of contention. Today, we introduce both siblings to the show
46: Rising From the Ashes
What types of volcanoes were erupting 3.8 billion years ago? Today, we meet a new type of rock and a new type of volcano, far more powerful and dangerous than those we've met so far. The old volcano is long dead, but the scars it left behind can still be seen across the Greenland landscape. Along the way, we'll learn how different types of lavas are made, why a few rocks can float in water, and le
45: As Above, So Below
What was Earth's mantle like 3.8 billion years ago, and how do we know? The mantle is a realm that humans have never visited, and examining it is only harder in the ancient past. Fortunately, the mantle sometimes gifts us with beautiful green rocks from the deep, souvenirs of an unknown underworld. Today, we learn how the mantle has changed over time, and its surprising connections to outer space.
44: From the Abyss
What is the world's oldest slice of mantle, and how did it reach the surface? Today, we'll meet the first tangible piece of the world below the crust, a world humans still have not visited. Along the way, we'll meet an old mineral friend from Season 1, a researcher named Friend, and learn how diamonds can be a geologist's best friend when looking for slices of the mantle.Extra Credit: Clean your b
43: Postcards From the Edge
In 1971, two geologists traveled to the edge of Greenland's ice sheet. What they found were the oldest rocks known at the time, 3.8-3.7 billion years old. Shockingly, they were in decent condition, sparking a half-century of geology stories. Today we'll begin our tour of Isua, the final destination of Season 2. Along the way, we'll meet a Holocaust survivor who landed on top of the world, visit an
Audience Survey Results
Two months ago, I made an audience survey focusing on one topic: how would you like to support the show? Many folks answered, and here's what you said about donations, Patreon, ads, and merch. If you want to give your own opinion, take the survey here, put a comment below, or send a message to bedrock.mailbox@gmail.com.If you'd like to give a donation, you can click here- any amount is appreciated
42: The Question of Life
Nearly 30 years ago, one paper claimed to find the oldest evidence for life on Earth. How does that evidence hold up in 2025? Are these fossils or duds? Don’t panic, we’ll answer these questions to life, the universe, and everything in due time. Along the way, we’ll meet the most abundant mineral in the human body, an important fertilizer, and finish a trilogy of intense debates over a small Gree
41: The Oldest Seafloor
In 1991, a mysterious, striped red and gray rock was discovered on a cold Greenland isle. Years later, this rock would rock the scientific world with multiple debates about the early oceans and life. What exactly is this rock, and why do we care? Stay tuned, and on the way, we’ll learn how scientists can officially argue with each other.Extra Credit: Eat something with peanut butter and chocolate,
40: The Time War
How old is the oldest slice of Earth's seafloor? The answer is more contentious than you would think. Today, we visit one of the most debated locations in the show: a small island off the Greenland shore named Akilia. Everything about these rocks has been contested, and we'll meet three scientists who form cornerstones of the debates.Extra Credit: Watch something on an old CRT TV, or count tree ri
39: The Shattered Planet
Earth’s crust is shattered into dozens of moving plates, but many other worlds operate very differently. What are some alternatives to plate tectonics?Today, we’ll compare tectonics on Earth with tectonics on other planets, through the lens of 3.9 billion-year-old rocks from Greenland. On the way, we’ll visit the westernmost town in the USA, visit one of our cosmic neighbors, and learn about the O
38: Hidden Gems
This season's final arc is set in Greenland. Let's start with the most common rocks in the region: what are they and what stories do they tell about the world 3.9 billion years ago?Along the way, we'll weave a tapestry of stone, boil some rocks, and learn a bit about Dylan's birthstone. Extra credit: try the Play-Doh experiment from this episode, or make some stone soup.Click here for the audience
Bedrock Returns! How to Support the Show
We're back! After nearly a year, Dylan has updates about his life and the future of the show. Please take the audience survey in the link below to let Dylan know how you'd like to support the show! Also, please check out the donate button if you like what you've heard so far.Click here for the audience survey!Donate to support the show- anything is appreciated!
Life Update: The Job Hunt
Hi folks,If you’re a long-term listener, you know this show often takes long, multi-week breaks. This break has been much longer than normal, and will likely continue for a few months. What’s going on?Right now, I have one goal on my mind: to find a new, permanent job.My three-year contract at Grand Valley State University will end in April. I knew this going in, and it’s public information, so do
Schedule Update: Iceland Field Trip
Hi folks! I've just been invited by my university to join a field trip to Iceland next week, one of the best spots in the world to study geology. This means there will be a slight hiccup in our programming. Episode 38 will drop early next week, while Episode 39 will hopefully drop the first week of August. If I have time and space, I might try some experimental episodes from Iceland itself, field
37: Metamorphosis
Why are some ancient rocks well-preserved, while others are extremely messed up? Today, we'll take a side quest from our Greenland arc to learn more about metamorphosis, which changes rocks beneath our feet. On the way, we'll transform toast into cookies, take an elevator ride deep into the crust, and meet an ancient rock with a babyface. Extra credit: make some toast, or go looking for butterflie
36: The Ghosts of Greenland
What is the oldest *major* slice of rock, one that's relatively well-preserved, one that's fueled a half-century of research? The episode's name kinda gives it away, but stay tuned as we meet the last location of Season 2: a series of rocks near Greenland's capital. Along the way, we'll meet the different groups of people who have settled on this remote island, and a geologist from the other side
35: The Man in the Moon
How did the Man in the Moon form? What does the Moon's Far Side look like? Today, we'll learn about the most visible remnant of the ancient world- the pattern of dark lunar rocks that stares down on us each night. On the way, we'll hitch a ride with a flying fax machine, play a game with crystals in magma, and learn why bananas are slightly radioactive (and why that doesn't really matter). Extra C
34: Bombardment
When did the Moon's craters form? Can they tell us any stories about the ancient Solar System? Today, we'll learn some early explanations for lunar features, meet a "lunatic asylum" of planetary geologists, and learn how the larger planets might have bullied their smaller neighbors. Extra Credit: Watch Apollo 13, or The Right Stuff.
33: A Thin Line
What are the oldest disputed fossils on Earth? Why are they disputed?Today, we wrap up our tour of Nuvvuagittuq in northern Quebec, 3.8 billion years ago, March 3rd on the Earth Calendar. In 2017, microscopic rusty threads were discovered inside these rocks, thinner than a human hair. Were they bacteria, or something else entirely? Stay tuned to find out! Extra Credit: Learn how to make a chemical
32: Pumping Iron
Where does humanity get most of its' iron, and what do these rocks tell us about the ancient Earth? Today, we'll learn about banded iron formations, the backbone of the modern steel industry an important stop in the search for early life and oxygen, and a rock that is impossible to make today. It's rare to find a rock as important to both economics and research. Along the way, we'll take a breath
31: Trench Warfare
What are Earth's oldest volcanic rocks, and how did they form? Today, we'll explore the seafloor 3.8 billion years ago through dark basalt rocks in Nuvvuagittuq, northern Quebec. Along the way, we'll earn a green belt in geology, rest our heads on volcanic pillows and journey to the deepest spot in the modern ocean.Extra Credit: Try to find dark black basalt in a building or countertop near you.
30: Alternative Canadian Rock
What's the next step after the oldest rock on Earth? Today, we'll move the story forward 200 million years and 1,000 miles. The time: 3.8 billion years ago... or maybe much older (March 3 on the Earth Calendar). The place: Nuvvuagittuq (noo-voo-ah-git-took), Quebec, Canada, in the lands of the Inuit. In this episode, we'll learn how this seaside outcrop was found and the ongoing debate about its'
29: The Goldilocks Planet
If the sun was dimmer 4 billion years ago, how did the Earth stay warm? Today, we learn how just a small percent of Earth's atmosphere goes a long way in controlling global climate, both today and in the ancient past. Along the way, we'll visit an imaginary frozen Earth without any sun, a hazy giant moon of Saturn, and learn exactly what the greenhouse effect is.Extra credit: Visit a greenhouse, o
28: The Dark Side of the Sun
How has the Sun changed over the past 4 billion years?While the Sun may seem unalterable, it has brightened dramatically over Earth's history, with major implications for our world. Today, we'll meet a team of women who catalogued thousands of stars in the 1800s, play in a galactic ball pit, and puzzle over a cosmic paradox alongside Carl Sagan.Extra Credit: Watch Cosmos (1980)
27: Rare Earth
Is there any place today that resembles the Earth 4 billion years ago?Surprisingly, the answer is yes... ish. Today, we'll learn a secret recipe for continents, one that made the very oldest rocks on Earth and is still making the island of Iceland today.Along the way, we'll freeze a magma chamber solid, meet some politically contentious metals, and cross a real bridge from one tectonic plate to an
Update: New Episode on Dec 4, Revised Episodes
Hi folks,Thanks for your patience- it's been a busy month for me. The next episode will be up on December 4, followed by a more regular schedule for the following weeks. In the meantime, I've updated Episodes 25 and 26, streamlining them to better flow into the next episode.This update also gives a brief explanation for why Bedrock has such large gaps. In short, the podcast is just one part of a b
26: The Magma Forge
What did the oldest rock look like 4 billion years ago, before it was pressure-cooked?Today, we'll answer that question by melting chocolate chip ice cream, meeting one of granite's less famous cousins, and returning to our old friends: zircon crystals.Extra credit: Eat some ice cream, go on a skiing trip, or both!
25: The Oldest Rock on Earth
How old is the oldest rock, where was it found, and what type of rock is it?To answer that question, we'll journey into Canada's Northwest Territories, deep underground to the breaking point of rocks, and we'll run into a shrimpy friend from Episode 10.
24: A New Dawn (Season 2 Premiere)
Welcome to Season 2 of Bedrock! This episode introduces Season 2's subject: the Eoarchean (ee-oh-ar-key-an) chapter of Earth's history. The Eoarchean lasted from 4 to 3.6 billion years ago, from February 15 to March 19 on the Earth Calendar. In future episodes, we'll meet Earth's oldest rocks, the Man in the Moon, and a faint young sun. Since this is our first big chapter break, we'll also learn h
Season 1 Recap: The Hadean
Get caught up to speed on Season 1, a time known as The Hadean. The Hadean covers Earth's earliest days from 4.6 to 4 billion years ago, January 1 to Feb 14 on the Earth Calendar. This is a time of many firsts, including the formation of the Earth, Moon, oceans, islands, and perhaps life. Check out previous episodes for more details, like the women who mapped the Earth's inner core (6) and seafloo
23: It's Alive!
Season 1 Finale. What was the first living thing on Earth, when did it live, and what did it do? Today, we end Season 1 by meeting LUCA, the oldest ancestor for every living thing on Earth today. On the way, we'll tackle how complex life formed in a chaotic universe and why it hasn't formed again, take a trip down life's family tree, and meet a deadly modern microbe- one of the closest relatives o
22: Cell's Kitchen
How and where did the first cells form on planet Earth, 4 billion years ago? To answer that question, we investigate why oil and water hate each other, explore the seafloor with the Titanic's discoverer, and take a relaxing dip inside a hot spring.Extra credit: drop some olive oil into water, or make a trip to the closest hot spring in your local area.
21: Cracking Life's Code
When did DNA show up in Earth's past, and how does it actually work today?In this episode, we brush up on biology, learning about DNA's hardworking but underrated sister RNA, how cells turn genetic code into meat, and inch closer to actual living things in the Hadean.Extra Credit: Help someone make a tasty dish in the kitchen today, or thank someone you think doesn't get enough credit for their wo
20: Primordial Soup
How did the Earth transform simple carbon into the complex ingredients of life?Today, we'll meet a troubled Charles Darwin hunting for fossils, we'll create slime from thin air in one of the greatest laboratory experiments, and we'll learn what was in Earth's earliest atmosphere.Extra Credit: Breathe in, breathe out, and have a sip of your favorite soup.
19: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
How did the ingredients of life arrive on Earth? Today, we look at how asteroids brought organic material from the depths of space to Earth's surface. On the way, we'll run into an old friend from Episode 4, meet an ancient Greek astronomer, and search for aliens hidden in Antarctic ice. Extra credit: Eat something with glutamic acid in it- meat, mushrooms, or soy sauce. Extra extra credit if you
18: We Are Stardust
How were life’s ingredients assembled billions of years ago?Today, we journey to the deepest reaches of space to take the first steps from non-living molecules to life. On the way, we learn what it really means to be organic, how to break a rainbow, and what space smells like.Extra credit: Separate light using a prism, or cook a steak.
17: The Building Blocks of Life
When did life begin on planet Earth? That's a big question to tackle, one that will take a few episodes to answer. Today, we start this new arc by introducing three key ingredients of life: proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. These three molecules can be found in the food we eat, our own bodies, and as we'll see in future episodes, in the voids between stars. Extra credit: Keep tabs on which foods
The Oldest Rocks In: North America
Miniseries Episode 7: The oldest rocks on Earth are hidden deep in the Canadian North, 4 billion years old. For our final stop of our tour, we sneak a peek at these and other rocks we'll meet soon in the main series, including reefs made from bacteria and mysterious stones hidden beneath Greenland's glaciers.
The Oldest Rocks In: Europe
Miniseries Episode 6: Most of Europe is very young, geologically- only millions of years old instead of billions. Today, we travel to eastern and northern Europe to see how its' modern borders match ancient shorelines, how coal is made, and a special type of granite you can probably find in your nearest city.
The Oldest Rocks In: Asia
Miniseries Episode 5: Asia is the largest continent, and has a lot of ancient rocks to share with the world. Today, we learn how to map a hidden continent using magnets, how copper forms in undersea castles, and how the Himalayas were born.
The Oldest Rocks In: South America
Miniseries Episode 4: South America has impressive geology, but most of its' ancient rocks are found in just once country. Today, we'll learn about ancient connections between Brazil and Africa, how Pangaea split apart, and how most iron mines got their start.
The Oldest Rocks In: Africa
Miniseries Episode 3: Africa is a continent with many different nations and rocks. Today, we learn how most of Africa was fused together billions of years ago, and which pockets preserve the best evidence for ancient life (South Africa, Zimbabwe). Along the way, we'll meet the richest human in history, a giant knife made from magma, and a two-billion-year family reunion.
Update: Bedrock will return in January 2023!
Thank you all for your patience these few months as I've started a new professor position in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Moving and preparing my first classes took all of my time and mental energy, but now I'm at a place where I can make episodes again! I'm excited to continue the story and I hope you are as well.More details are in the episode but in short: Oldest Rocks mini-series: 5 weekly episodes
The Oldest Rocks In: Australia
Miniseries Episode 2: Australia is one of the top destinations for people who love the ancient Earth. Today, we take a brief tour around the three oldest regions in Australia: the Yilgarn Craton near Perth, the Pilbara Craton near Port Hedland, and the Gawler Craton near Adelaide. On the way, we'll meet the oldest minerals, the oldest fossils, and learn the connection between ancient bacteria and
The Oldest Rocks In: Antarctica
Miniseries Episode 1: The frozen continent holds many secrets, including some of the most ancient stones in the world, the Napier Complex 3.8 billion years old. Today we'll learn what things lurk in the ice, and a harrowing story of polar survival from an Australian geologist, Sir Douglas Mawson.
Schedule Update
Our story will take a brief pause while I'm on summer vacation and fieldwork, including rocks more than three billion years old in Western Australia.But don't worry! In the meantime, there will be a seven-part miniseries on the oldest rocks of each continent. Tune in to find out which are closest to you, or use these as guides for a geology-themed vacation! After then, we'll return to the Hadean w
Interview: Fossil Imposters with Dr. Joti Rouillard
My guest today is Dr. Joti Rouillard, a research fellow at the University of Science and Technology in Hefei, China. Dr. Rouillard talks about his research on the earliest fossils on Earth, microscopic bacteria 3.5 billion years old. It turns out, identifying a fossil bacteria is extremely difficult since they resemble other tiny non-living objects. We also talk about working in the Australian Out
16: Life Before Fossils
When did life arise on planet Earth?Today, we look at the search for biological remains in the oldest minerals on Earth, the Jack Hills zircons of Western Australia, 4.4-4.0 billion years ago. We learn why carbon is an excellent building block for life, how to turn that carbon into diamonds and graphite, and why it's very hard to find conclusive fossils in very old rocks. Extra credit: Try to find
15: Sea Change
How do we know when the first oceans existed?Water leaves its' fingerprints over every surface of Earth, even in the oldest, toughest crystals. Today, we'll take an imaginary ride through the earliest oceans, examine how water slowly transforms everything it touches, and how these changes are recorded in the Jack Hills zircons, 4.4 billion years ago. Extra Credit: Make an underwater rock garden, w
14: Waterworld
How did water arrive on planet Earth?Today, we learn just how much water Earth has, and where it came from in the first place. We'll take a joyride around the early solar system, climb a snow-capped peak, and learn how Jupiter may have played a crucial role in making Earth's oceans. Extra credit: Drink some water, make a snowball, or watch the Kevin Costner classic Waterworld.
13: Message in a Bottle
When did Earth's crust form? It's easy to take the ground beneath our feet for granted, but the story of our crust's origins is one of the most hotly debated topics in Earth history. Today, we'll learn how elements inside tiny crystals help solve this mystery. On the way, we'll meet two researchers who helped keep gold and scientists out of German hands in World War II. Extra credit: Look at table
12: Scratching the Surface
How is new crust made, and why isn't the Earth constantly expanding like a party balloon? To answer these questions, we'll track the life, death, and rebirth of Earth's surface. Stops along the way include the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a fight to the death beneath New Zealand, and a stop for some Italian dessert.Extra credit: Experiment with your carpets at home, pushing them together and testing which
11: Heretics and Heroes
The idea of plate tectonics is the cornerstone of modern geology.But it wasn't always that way, and it wasn't an easy idea to sell. Today, we'll meet two scientists who faced ridicule for proposing continental drift: a German climatologist and an American cartographer, the greatest of her generation. We'll also meet a lost expedition to Greenland, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and Jacques Cousteau.Extra
10: The Oldest Thing on Earth
What is the oldest thing on our planet? How old is it, and where was it found?Today, we tell the story of a worldwide, decades-long hunt for a single grain of sand. We'll journey to underground magma chambers, the sun-baked Australian Outback, and the lair of a giant shrimp.Extra credit: Let a handful of sand run through your fingers, or go pressure-wash something.
9: The Great Gig in the Sky
The Earth of 4.5 billion years ago was perhaps the most alien version of our world, thanks to a collision with a rogue planet. Days and nights were six times shorter, the newborn Moon was as close as a weather satellite, and everything was covered with a sea of magma. Today, we learn how the Moon transformed from a giant Eye of Sauron into our pale nighttime companion, with the help of a Canadian
Interview: Earth's Baby Photos with Dr. Nadja Drabon
My guest today is Dr. Nadja Drabon, a new professor at Harvard University. Dr. Drabon talks about her new discoveries of zircon crystals from South Africa that are more than 4 billion years old, some of the oldest fragments of Earth. Together, we learn just how much we don't know about Earth's earliest days, and what her discoveries can teach us about our planet's ancient secrets. We also talk abo
Interview: Fixing Climate Change with Dr. Ella Holme
My guest today is Dr. Ella Holme, a postdoc at Yale University. Dr. Holme talks about her research on the mineral olivine as a potential antidote for climate change. Olivine can remove carbon dioxide from air and water, and further research into this mineral can help counteract increasing CO2 emissions. We also talk about how olivine is like the Hulk, and how Dr. Holme's path into geology started
8: Bad Moon Rising
If you've ever wondered where the Moon came from, this the episode for you! To answer that question, we'll collect Moon rocks with Neil Armstrong, spin merry-go-rounds with Charles Darwin's son, and play planetary billiards. In the end, truth is stranger than fiction.Extra credit: Take some time for yourself and have a good long look at the moon.
7: An Ocean of Magma
Earth's first oceans were hundreds of times deeper than the Pacific and made of molten rock. Where did they come from, where did they go? What stuff was in them, how do we know? Today, let's dive in and see how these oceans turned into today's mantle.Extra credit: Drink a glass of ice water, watch The Core (2003), or see if you can find a garnet in your home or a museum.
6: Working Out the Core
Today, we'll learn how deep humans have traveled into the planet, and how we know what's even deeper down. We'll meet mineral oozes, coils of liquid iron, and a Danish woman from the 1930s who discovered the center of the Earth. Extra credit: Make a tin-can telephone, find an inductor in one of your electric appliances, or look for an aurora.
5: Building the Underworld
How did Earth grow from ant-size to, well… Earth-size? What perils did it face along the way? And how is the Earth's interior like a fine vinaigrette? Find out as we move forward in time from 4.6 to 4.5 billion years ago.Extra credit: try to freeze a mixture of oil and vinegar before they separate, find an iron meteorite at your local museum, or look for Ceres with a pair of binoculars.
4: The Cradle of Stardust (Season 1 Premiere)
Season 1 Premiere We finally start the tale of Earth’s history from the beginning, in the cold depths of outer space. The Sun is born and the first asteroids assemble. When these asteroids crash into Earth today, they provide time capsules from the beginning of the solar system. Extra credit: look for the Orion Nebula in the night sky, or go meteorite hunting with a friend.
3: The Dating Game
Our introductory trilogy on deep time ends by tackling an important question: How do we know how old the Earth is?
2: Three Recipes for Rocks
How can rocks tell us the stories of ancient Earth- stories of magma, water, and life? To answer that question, we look at a few common rock types and examine how they formed.
1: The Earth Calendar
Introductions all around- the podcast, the period of time we’ll be exploring, and the host. We’ll start by scaling Earth’s entire history down to a manageable 365 days.
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