Moeraki Boulders, South Island, New Zealand Jan. 7, 2025

Are you ready to rock the new year? Today is Old Rock Day, a day to celebrate and learn about ancient rocks and fossils. Although rocks are common, few of us take the time to consider how remarkable they are. Forged in volcanoes or moulded by millennia of pressure, these solid masses of minerals hold the key to understanding how our planet formed. Rocks can also contain fossils, the remnants of long-extinct organisms. Canada is home to some jaw-dropping geological wonders. Take Hopewell Rocks in New Brunswick, for example. These giant, flowerpot-like formations were carved by the Bay of Fundy"s massive tides, which rise and fall by up to 14 metres daily. Then there"s the Mingan Archipelago in Quebec. This collection of limestone monoliths, shaped by waves and wind, is over 450 million years old.

© Douglas Pearson/eStock Photo

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