# Earth’s rocks have a missing layer spanning up to a billion years. Scientists finally know what happened to it

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2 outlets covering · First listed: Scientific American, Nov 7, 2026, 7:00 AM · Read it: <https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/earths-rocks-have-a-missing-layer-spanning-up-to-a-billion-years-scientists-finally-know-what-happened-to-it/>

The “Great Unconformity” has puzzled scientists since its discovery in the 1870s

## Who's covering it

In the order they published:

- Nov 7, 2026, 7:00 AM: [Earth’s rocks have a missing layer spanning up to a billion years. Scientists finally know what happened to it](<https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/earths-rocks-have-a-missing-layer-spanning-up-to-a-billion-years-scientists-finally-know-what-happened-to-it/>) — Scientific American (Magazine, United States)
  The “Great Unconformity” has puzzled scientists since its discovery in the 1870s
- Nov 11, 2026, 4:49 AM: [Earth’s rocks are missing about a billion years. Scientists finally know where it went](<https://www.zmescience.com/science/geology/earths-rocks-are-missing-about-a-billion-years-scientists-finally-know-where-it-went/>) — ZME Science (Science news)
  It's one of geology's deepest mysteries.