Lid tectonics. Preface

The idea that plate tectonics may not have operated deep in Earth's Precambrian past has a long legacy. What predated plate tectonics is unknown, and advances in data – from geochemical, geological and tectonic, to paleomagnetic, as well as modelling approaches, and planetary science, have the potential to contribute significantly to the debate. To contrast with the activity of plate tectonics, in this issue we use the term ‘lid tectonics’ to encapsulate a variety of envisaged regimes – from stagnant, sluggish, plutonic-squishy, or heat pipe – which are characterized by comparatively subdued tectonic signatures.