• Question: How old is Earth?

    • Keywords:
      • Click on a keyword to find out more on the RSC site:
      Asked by Jodie??? to Daniela ?, ☣ Danna, Jonny, Juan, Lindsay on 15 Jun 2016.
      • Photo: Lindsay Robinson

        Lindsay Robinson answered on 15 Jun 2016:

        Around 4.5 billion years old. Scientists now more or less agree on this figure. It took until the early 20th century to figure it out. They did this by using radioactivity to date what they thought were the oldest rocks on the planet. Before that, scientists thought the earth was probably around 100 million years old so they were a bit out with that one!

      • Photo: Jonathan Hunter

        Jonathan Hunter answered on 15 Jun 2016:

        Interestingly, life on Earth is thought to have been around for 4.1 billion years. However, this is only down to fossil records. Life on Earth maybe even older but there aren’t any fossils to prove it, and as water first appeared on Earth about 4.4 billion years ago, I think it is probably older.

      • Photo: Daniela Lobo

        Daniela Lobo answered on 17 Jun 2016:

        Hi Jodie ?
        I think Lindsay and Jonny covered your question already. I was just going for VERY old… not a very precise number!

      • Photo: Danna Gifford

        Danna Gifford answered on 17 Jun 2016:

        Agree with the others =)

    Comments