# Searching for Earth's Oldest Rocks: Follow a Smithsonian Expedition to the Remote Northwest Territories ## Background The Northwest Territories in northern Canada is a remote land of towering mountains, icy lakes, and vast stretches of untouched wilderness. It is home to some of the most ancient rocks on Earth. In 2016, a team of scientists from the Smithsonian Institution launched an expedition to this remote region in search of these ancient rocks. ## The Expedition The expedition team was led by Dr. Kevin Pope, a geologist at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. They traveled to the Slave Craton, a geological formation that is thought to be one of the oldest parts of the Earth's crust. The team spent several weeks collecting samples of rocks from the Slave Craton and surrounding areas. ## The Findings The team's findings were published in the journal Nature in 2018. They discovered that the rocks in the Slave Craton are about 4.2 billion years old. This makes them some of the oldest rocks ever found on Earth. The team also found evidence of early life in the form of fossilized bacteria. ## The Significance The team's findings have important implications for our understanding of Earth's early history. They provide evidence that life on Earth may have originated as early as 4.2 billion years ago. The findings also help us to better understand the formation of the Earth's crust. ## The Future The Smithsonian's expedition to the Northwest Territories was a major scientific breakthrough. It has given us new insights into Earth's early history and the origins of life. The team's findings will continue to be studied and debated for years to come. **Additional Resources** * [Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History: Northwest Territories Expedition](https://naturalhistory.si.edu/arctic/northwest-territories-expedition) * [Nature: Ancient life on Earth](https://www.nature.com/articles/nature22351) * [National Geographic: Oldest Rocks on Earth Yield Evidence of Early Life](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/oldest-rocks-on-earth-yield-evidence-of-early-life)
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