Determining the apparent polar wander paths for different cratonic blocks of Laurentia and Australia during early Precambrian times can reveal the opening and closure of ancient oceans, and indicate whether the style of plate tectonics earlier in Earth’s history was similar to or radically different from its style on today’s globe. Understanding that ancient style of plate tectonics can give information about how the chemical and physical nature of the Earth’s crust and mantle interact with each other as they change during Earth’s evolution. Some geochemical and geobiological records, like the appearance of the first fossilized eukaryotes and the record of strontium isotopes, can only be understood in a holistic fashion by taking into account the pattern of global tectonics at that time.