This rugged outcrop of metamorphic bedrock in the Northwest Territories of Canada is almost as old as the Earth itself, yet it lies at the heart of a habitat that supports a rich diversity of animals, from polar bears, grizzly bears, wolves, and musk ox, to bald eagles, Canada geese, and ptarmigans.
The rocks that make up the Acasta Gneiss Complex are widely considered to be the oldest rocks in the world - a 2019 study used zircon dating to estimate they may date back as far as 4.03 billion years ago!
Not only are these rocks incredibly old, they’re also exceptionally rare. If you add up the area where they’re exposed at the surface, the total area would be only about 800 square metres, which is roughly the size of four tennis courts.
At the time the Acasta Gneiss Complex was formed, Earth’s surface looked very different and was completely devoid of life. It wasn’t until millions of years later that the first signs of life appeared, and another 3.2 billion years before the first animals evolved.
- The same size as Casablanca, this arid landscape holds over 15 staggering 300m rock towers older than the dinosaurs – and America’s deadliest snake
- It’s made up of 1,000 miles of tunnels and was once thought to be the gateway to the underworld – but remains largely unexplored
Top photo by S.J. Mojzsis
