Chemical and Physical Evolution of the Crust

The topography and chemical composition of Earth's early crust likely shaped the conditions under which self-replicating biomolecules emerged. The stability of these molecules depended on dynamic interactions across Earth's interior and surface, from the core to the atmosphere. Tracing the origin of a biosphere on Earth requires understanding its transformation from an initially uninhabitable planet into a temperate world with a stable crust, active rock recycling, volatile cycling, and surface oceans. These features are closely linked to plate tectonics, a process unique to Earth in our solar system. Before the onset of modern plate tectonics, Earth evolved from a global magma ocean (∼4.5 Ga) into a differentiated planet with a primordial crust, mantle, and core. The co-evolution of the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere played a fundamental role in establishing surface conditions suitable for life. Here, we review current perspectives on the evolution of tectonic regimes from Earth's formation (∼4.567 Ga) to the emergence of mobile-lid tectonics and the implications for crustal environments that may have supported the origin of life.