The closest planet to our sun is shrinking. Here's what that means - ksl.com
New research suggests that Mercury is shrinking more than previously thought as its interior cools and contracts. Scientists are studying the planet's surface ridges and cliffs to better understand the evolution of rocky planets.
Why it matters
Understanding the geological history of Mercury provides critical insights into the formation and cooling processes of Earth and other terrestrial planets.
ATLANTA — Telltale wrinkles that cover Mercury, the closest planet to the Sun, suggest it was once a larger world that has shrunk in size — and it may be shrinking more than scientists realized.The smallest planet in our solar system is about 36 million miles from the Sun on average and completes one orbit around our star every 88 days, according to NASA.The rocky world formed from swirls of gas and dust roughly 4.5 billion years ago. The early days of our solar system were chaotic, marked by violent interactions as a multitude of space rocks orbiting the Sun crashed into other objects.Newly formed planets are already hot, much like volcanic lava, but the energy from such collisions generates even more heat.
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