Our understanding of the formation of an atmosphere, ocean deeps and mountain highs and the life that thrives on it, mostly relies on our understanding of tectonics on Earth. Throughout its whole 4.5 billion years-long evolution, the Earth has gone through different stages of tectonics, which may have been different from today’s. Traces of the tectonic evolution of the Earth remain preserved in the geological archives of our planet, the continental cores, cratons.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.geo-down-under.org.au/the-earths-troubled-childhood/