Bedrock: Earth's Earliest History

Mail Time! Dylan answers your questions

While we're on a break between seasons, and while I'm starting my new job, I figured this would be a nice palate cleanser. There's no script, just answers like I'd actual

Season 2 Recap: The Eoarchean

Get caught up on Season 2! The Eoarchean Era covers 4 to 3.6 billion years ago, Feb 15 to March 19 on the Earth Calendar. Highlights include: the oldest rock on Earth (2

55: The Oldest Rock in the USA

Season 2 Finale! For 50 years, the title of "USA's Oldest Rock" was held on the prairies of western Minnesota. In 2025, that throne was usurped by a brand new study. Whe

54: The End of an Era

We finally end our great Greenland adventure with one final question: how did all these diverse rocks become squeezed together, 3.6 billion years ago? The answer to that

53: The Great Fossil Debate

At long last, we finish the cliffhanger from Episode 52! Last time, I introduced one of the greatest debates in paleontology and geology. Are a few little triangles on

The Return of Bedrock and Hometown Geology

Good news: After six months, my girlfriend's hospital odyssey is wrapping up for now. Bad news: My visiting professorship at GVSU has finally ended, and the job hunt con

Life Update: Medical Hiatus

This brief update explains the long pause in episodes. A month ago, my girlfriend had a major, sudden hospital visit. The operation went smoothly, but there are many more

52: The Thing in the Ice

Until now, all the clues for ancient life have been microscopic, beyond the realm of sight. Today, that begins to change. Ten years ago, a team of scientists showed the w

Hometown Geology Pilot: Grand Rapids, Michigan

Here's a new monthly podcast that Dylan's releasing on Patreon! Hometown Geology focuses on cities/locations around the world, chosen by patrons. This pilot episode highl

51: The Latest News on the Oldest Life

This episode, we focus on just one special boulder from the Greenland tundra, a rock that might have Earth's oldest fossils. Over the past 10 years, scientists from aroun

Bedrock Patreon Is Up Now!

Visit patreon.com/bedrockpodcast for bonus perks like new episodes, voting rights, and topic selection! P.S. Thanks to a bad cold, both my voice and the audio quality a

50: The Oldest Evidence for Life?

Donate to support the show- anything is appreciated! Finally, 3.7 billion years ago, we reach some of the strongest evidence for life on Earth yet. It takes a while to f

50th Episode Fireside Chat: What's Next?

In this casual chat, Dylan talks about the show's growth, the upcoming end of Season 2, a potential career shift to science communication, and other podcast recommendatio

49: The Fossil Quest

Many folks have claimed to find Earth's oldest fossils in the Greenland rocks, 3.7 billion years old. Before we meet and judge these contenders, we need to learn what cou

48: The Impossible Rock

What is the hardest rock to make? Today's rock is very common in Earth's ancient past, and it should be everywhere today. However, it's nearly impossible to form in nat

47: The Limestone Family

Donate to support the show- anything is appreciated! Today is a tale of two sisters: limestone and dolomite. Limestone is far more popular and well-behaved, one of the m

46: Rising From the Ashes

What types of volcanoes were erupting 3.8 billion years ago? Today, we meet a new type of rock and a new type of volcano, far more powerful and dangerous than those we'

45: As Above, So Below

What was Earth's mantle like 3.8 billion years ago, and how do we know? The mantle is a realm that humans have never visited, and examining it is only harder in the anc

44: From the Abyss

What is the world's oldest slice of mantle, and how did it reach the surface? Today, we'll meet the first tangible piece of the world below the crust, a world humans st

43: Postcards From the Edge

In 1971, two geologists traveled to the edge of Greenland's ice sheet. What they found were the oldest rocks known at the time, 3.8-3.7 billion years old. Shockingly, t