Scientists Unearth Evidence of Ancient Earth Collision – Moon’s Secret Origin Revealed
We’ve got a fascinating discovery straight from Earth’s depths. Scientists have unveiled compelling evidence of an ancient collision that might have played a role in the formation of our Moon. Let’s dive in!
For decades, scientists have puzzled over two mysterious, dense masses deep within Earth’s mantle, beneath Africa and the South Pacific Ocean. Recent research suggests they might hold the key to unlocking the Moon’s origin.
The groundbreaking theory proposes that these dense masses could be remnants of a colossal crash between Earth and a Mars-sized object called ‘Theia’ more than 4.46 billion years ago.
Researchers conducted computer simulations to examine this hypothesis, proposing that Earth absorbed most of Theia, forming the enigmatic masses, while the remaining pieces coalesced to create our Moon.
Qian Yuan, lead writer of the study, highlights the significance of these findings, explaining that these massive blobs located deep beneath our feet are approximately twice the mass of the entire Moon!
Caltech professor and study co-writer, Paul Asimow, discusses the challenges of finding evidence of this ancient event within Earth and its Moon.
The increased density of these masses is believed to result from their high iron content, which is consistent with the composition of moon rocks. This shared element hints at their common origin: Theia.
As our Moon orbits Earth, tantalizing clues about its creation are hidden within these two massive structures. The researchers suggest that future lunar missions might unearth isotopes confirming their theory.
Understanding this hypothesized giant impact could provide insights into Earth’s evolution, the formation of other rocky planets in our solar system, and the uniqueness of our planet in the cosmos.
It’s truly mind-boggling how our Earth’s ancient history is being unraveled, revealing connections to the formation of our Moon.