Cosmic Clocks Unlock Earth's Ancient History, Reveal Australia's Evolution

• Scientists discovered a new method using tiny mineral crystals, called zircons, as 'cosmic clocks' to read Earth's ancient history.
• These crystals record cosmic ray exposure, trapping rare krypton gas, which allows scientists to measure geological timelines.
• The research, led by Curtin University in Australia, explains how Australia's landscapes evolved over billions of years, tracking erosion, burial, and exposure patterns.
• This discovery improves the ability to locate valuable mineral resources and understand how continents formed.
• The technique offers a clearer understanding of Earth's climate evolution, ancient environmental changes, and aids in future landscape predictions.

Why It Matters: New 'cosmic clock' method using zircon crystals reveals Earth's ancient history and landscape evolution.