Rocks older than 4.03 billion years could shed light on Earth's earliest geological history, but they're incredibly rare.

Canadian scientists found the oldest known rocks on Earth - dating back 4.16 billion years - shedding light on our planet’s earliest history.

Gray rocks uncovered in northern Nunavik, Quebec, Canada may be the ultimate primordial find. The stones date back 4.16 billion years to the Hadean era and are the oldest known rocks on the planet. They are described in a study published June 26 in the journal Science .