Meteorite reveals a lost moon-sized world from the dawn of the solar system
Scientists have identified evidence of a lost moon-sized protoplanet from the early solar system within a rare meteorite found in the Sahara. The discovery challenges existing theories about planetary evolution and the chemical composition of early celestial bodies.
Why it matters
This finding provides new insights into the formation of the solar system and the diverse pathways through which early planets developed.
More than 4.5 billion years ago, a huge world, potentially as large as the moon or even Mars, traveled around the young Sun before a violent collision shattered it into pieces.
The article is a straightforward scientific report based on peer-reviewed research.
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