The Ancients Jurassic America
Mar 27, 2025
Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Caroline Winterer, an expert in the history of geology and paleontology, who authored a book on America's deep time revolution. They explore 19th-century fossil discoveries and how they reshaped perceptions of the continent's age. The conversation touches on walking on 4 billion-year-old rocks, the allure of iconic dinosaurs like the T-Rex, and the political implications of these finds in establishing American cultural identity. Winterer highlights the role of fossil narratives in shaping historical context and national pride.
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North America's True Age
- North America's age was initially underestimated, believed to be only 6,000 years old.
- Fossil discoveries in the 19th century revealed its true age, challenging the "New World" notion.
Concept of Deep Time
- "Deep time" is the concept that Earth is billions of years old, and life on it is hundreds of millions of years old.
- This idea, widely accepted now, is relatively new, emerging between 1800 and 1900.
Ancient Rocks in Canada
- North America is estimated to be over 4 billion years old.
- Some of the oldest rocks, around 4 billion years old, can be found in Eastern Canada.
