Earth formed about 4.5 billion years ago and is the only known planet that supports life. It has three main layers - a crust, mantle, and core. The crust ranges from 5-70 km deep and has both continental and oceanic parts. Below the crust is the thickest layer, the mantle, which extends to a depth of 2,890 km and is composed of silicate rocks. The innermost layer is the core, with a solid inner core of iron and nickel around 1,220 km wide and a liquid outer core that creates Earth's magnetic field.