According to groundbreaking research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the Singhbhum region in Jharkhand, India, holds the title of the earliest continental landmass to emerge from the ocean. This discovery suggests that land began to rise around 3.2 billion years ago, pushing back the previously accepted timeline by an astonishing 700 million years.Discovery of land surfacesThe study, conducted by a team of scientists from India, Australia, and the US, analyzed ancient sandstones from the Singhbhum craton. Their findings revealed geological features that are more than 3 billion years old, including evidence of ancient river channels, tidal plains, and beaches. These features indicate that the Singhbhum region was among the first pieces of Earths crust to be exposed to the atmosphere. Watch here: View this post on Instagram A post shared by FirstNews (@firstnews_365)An insight into Earths geological historyThis discovery not only rewrites the timeline of continental emergence but also provides new insights into the early Earths geological history. The exposed land in Singhbhum is a key piece of evidence that helps scientists understand the conditions and processes that shaped the planets surface billions of years ago.A collaborative scientific breakthroughThe study is a collaborative effort involving researchers from multiple countries, including India, Australia, and the US. Their work has opened new avenues for exploring the Earths ancient past and has highlighted the significance of the Singhbhum region in the global geological narrative.
