Plate tectonics is the theory that Earth's outer layer is made up of plates, which have moved throughout Earth's history. The theory explains the how and why behind mountains, volcanoes ...

New research suggests that Earth's first crust, formed over 4.5 billion years ago, already carried the chemical traits we ...

The study also provides a new approach to solving one of the biggest enduring scientific mysteries: when did plate tectonics ...

The tiny Juan de Fuca plate is largely responsible for the volcanoes that dot the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The plates make up Earth's outer shell, called the lithosphere.

The Earth is made of different layers: the core, mantle and crust. Plate tectonic theory shows that the crust of the Earth is split into plates (pieces of the Earth’s crust). The movement of ...

Researchers have made a new discovery that changes our understanding of Earth's early geological history, challenging beliefs ...

Plate tectonics is relatively new, put forth in the last 30 years or so — its forerunner was the now-discarded continental drift theory. The theory states that Earth's outer shell is made up of ...

According to plate tectonics theory, Earth's outer shell is divided into multiple plates that slowly glide over the mantle. This slowly changes Earth's surface over time by merging, or separating ...

Tectonics is the study of the structural geology of the Earth and other planetary bodies, and the local and regional processes that created that rock geometry. This includes the movements of the ...

He questioned assumptions built into the model, pointing to geochemical inconsistencies that cast doubt on the giant impact theory itself. “If we didn’t have plate tectonics, you and I would ...