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When did plate tectonics begin?
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When did plate tectonics begin?

It’s one of the many unique things about Earth: unlike any other known planet in the universe, Earth’s surface is made up of rigid plates that move, collide with each other, and sink into the planet’s interior.

But when did the Earth’s surface split into tectonic plates? And when did those plates start moving? It’s an important question because plate tectonics appears to fuel the evolution and complexity of life.