History of the Old Earth

The age of the Earth is crucial to understanding evolution and the fossil record, and the first expressed contemplation of an old Earth was associated with discussions of stratigraphy and biological evolution (Al Biruni, see Week 2).

History of YOUNG Earth Buffon Hutton and Lyell Kelvin Ernest Rutherford 

Ernest Rutherford

Radiometric dating has been carried out since 1905 when it was invented by Ernest Rutherford as a method to determine the age of the Earth. He did so, providng the first age estimate that was over a billion years.

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