The Hadean Eon, Earth's fiery infancy, wasn't a static hellscape forever. Several key events signaled its dramatic conclusion around 4 billion years ago, paving the way for a (slightly) cooler, more habitable world. So, what marked this epic transition?
First, **the Late Heavy Bombardment started to subside.** This period of intense asteroid and comet impacts, while not entirely ceasing, lessened considerably. Think fewer planet-sterilizing collisions and more opportunities for surface stabilization.
Second, **Earth's crust began to solidify and differentiate.** This wasn't a sudden shift, but a gradual cooling and formation of continental crust, creating the first proto-continents. This also leads to the formation of the first oceans.
Finally, and perhaps most intriguingly, the **possible emergence of the first life.** While direct evidence is elusive, indirect geochemical indicators hint at the potential for simple, single-celled organisms arising towards the Hadean's close. The next eon, the Archean, would then be defined by this new life and new changes.
