Norway
Sand Origin
Random Sand Fact
3635 million years – that’s the age of it, nearly 1 billion years older than most bedrock in Norway. It hints it must originate from elsewhere – Greenland.
The sand grains tell a story about ancient oceans, continental collisions, and the birth of Norway’s mountain range. It was thrust onto Norway during a collision.
Not all grains are as good storytellers. This one is of the mineral zircon containing radioactive uranium. Over time, the uranium decays into lead at a constant rate, allowing scientists to determine its age.
As the sands of time shift, so does our understanding of the Earth and all in it!
P.S. Follow OUAW on social media to, in the midst of a sea with sand jewelry, find sand-related stories as yet a Norwegian, one of the world’s largest body of sand D.S.