Artist's concept showing how the surface of Earth appeared during the Hadean eon. - stock illustration

Artist's concept showing how the surface of the Earth may have appeared beneath its clouds about 500 million years after its birth, also known as the Hadean eon. Massive volcanoes and lava fields still dominate the landscape. In a few million years rain will begin falling, further cooling the crust. In about another 200 million years the first living microbes will call the Earth home.