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 modern steel.

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.

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 of fresh air, meet orange pond scum in a forest stream, and find a dagger carved from a meteorite.

Extra Credit: Find as many steel objects as possible around you, or search for bog iron in a local swamp.

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 old, 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 garden, or find a piece of chert, flint, jasper, agate, or onyx.