New Study Challenges Long-Held Beliefs About Formation Of The Moon

For years, most people have heard the same story about how the Moon was created. A giant object the size of Mars, named Theia, crashed into Earth 4.5 billion years ago. This huge impact not only formed the Moon but also changed Earth's shape, mass, and composition. But now, new research suggests we may have misunderstood this event for a long time, reported NY Post.

Scientists from the journal Science and the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) say the famous collision might not have happened by chance after all. Their findings could change the way we understand how the Moon, and even Earth itself, came to be.

Early in the solar system, it is believed that Earth collided with a large, Mars-like object-Theia. This powerful impact ejected a large amount of material into space, and the debris later formed the Moon.

This event wasn't limited to the formation of the Moon. It also altered Earth's initial structure, giving it the mass and chemical composition it possesses today.

New studies question the idea that Theia's collision was purely coincidental. Scientists believe there may be deeper reasons behind this collision, explaining how and why it occurred.

According to researchers, the composition of a planet or celestial body holds the entire story of its formation and origin. Thorsten Klein of the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research says that the elements present within a planet reflect its birth history. This suggests that the collision was likely part of a predetermined sequence or process, rather than just a random event.

Despite these new findings, some scientists remain cautious. Dr. Paul Byrne, a planetary scientist at Washington University in St. Louis, said that while researchers have collected information by examining a wide variety of samples, he is still hesitant to immediately accept these new findings.

He said that no matter how much effort scientists make, much of the past remains a mystery, because the past is truly "lost to us."