The discovery of a young underwater volcano near Mayotte, Fani Maoré, has revealed a remarkable chemical memory of Earth's birth. This ancient volcano, formed during an earthquake and volcanic crisis in 2018, carries a signature from the planet's earliest days, dating back 4.4 billion years. The study, led by Claudine Israel and Catherine Chauvel, along with colleagues from EPFL, has uncovered a tiny excess of neodymium-142 in the Fani Maoré rocks, indicating the presence of mantle material formed within the planet's first 100 million years. This discovery challenges previous assumptions about the Earth's mantle, suggesting that some chemically distinct pockets may have survived the long journey through mantle convection and eventually fed the volcano. The findings are particularly significant because they provide an indirect sample of deep material that may have remained separate since the beginning of Earth's history. The research also raises questions about the potential presence of similar Hadean material beneath other ocean islands, as subtle anomalies have been reported at places like Réunion, Iceland, and Pitcairn. This discovery highlights the importance of earlier clues and the need for better measurements from volcanic hotspots to understand the Earth's early history and the survival of primordial material.
