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ScienceQuiet 9d · day 15

Moon may have formed in just 5 hours, new simulations suggest

University of Arizona and SwRI researchers model the ancient Earth-Theia collision with geological properties, finding faster moon formation than previously thought.

newest coverage 9d agosummary written 12d ago11 pieces20 likes & upvotes1 comments Google NewsNewswiresHacker NewsMastodon

What to know

  • New computational simulations suggest the moon formed in as little as 5 hours after Earth collided with the Mars-sized protoplanet Theia 4.5 billion years ago—far faster than the previously estimated 10 years.
  • This faster formation is possible only if Earth and Theia's surfaces were around 3,140°F (hot but not fully melted) at impact, allowing them to behave as solid rock rather than fluids.
  • The research incorporates material strength and geological properties into collision models for the first time, changing how scientists understand the moon's formation mechanism.

Adeene Denton Lead author, Southwest Research InstituteUniversity of Arizona and Southwest Research Institute Research institutions

Moon may have formed in just 5 hours, new simulations suggest
Live Science

How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesposts

Peak 3 pieces in 4h at Sep 9, 9 AM; 11 pieces over 15 days (8 articles · 3 posts) Sep 9, 1 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Google News 1Sep 9, 5 AM — quietSep 9, 9 AM — 3 pieces · 3 articles — Google News 2, Newswires 1Sep 9, 1 PM — quietSep 9, 5 PM — quietSep 9, 9 PM — quietSep 10, 1 AM — quietSep 10, 5 AM — quietSep 10, 9 AM — quietSep 10, 1 PM — quietSep 10, 5 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Google News 1Sep 10, 9 PM — quietSep 11, 1 AM — quietSep 11, 5 AM — quietSep 11, 9 AM — 2 pieces · 1 article · 1 post — Newswires 1, Hacker News 1Sep 11, 1 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Hacker News 1Sep 11, 5 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 11, 9 PM — quietSep 12, 1 AM — quietSep 12, 5 AM — quietSep 12, 9 AM — quietSep 12, 1 PM — quietSep 12, 5 PM — quietSep 12, 9 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Google News 1Sep 13, 1 AM — quietSep 13, 5 AM — quietSep 13, 9 AM — quietSep 13, 1 PM — quietSep 13, 5 PM — quietSep 13, 9 PM — quietSep 14, 1 AM — quietSep 14, 5 AM — quietSep 14, 9 AM — quietSep 14, 1 PM — quietSep 14, 5 PM — quietSep 14, 9 PM — quietSep 15, 1 AM — quietSep 15, 5 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Google News 1Sep 15, 9 AM — quietSep 15, 1 PM — quietSep 15, 5 PM — quietSep 15, 9 PM — quietSep 16, 1 AM — quietSep 16, 5 AM — quietSep 16, 9 AM — quietSep 16, 1 PM — quietSep 16, 5 PM — quietSep 16, 9 PM — quietSep 17, 1 AM — quietSep 17, 5 AM — quietSep 17, 9 AM — quietSep 17, 1 PM — quietSep 17, 5 PM — quietSep 17, 9 PM — quietSep 18, 1 AM — quietSep 18, 5 AM — quietSep 18, 9 AM — quietSep 18, 1 PM — quietSep 18, 5 PM — quietSep 18, 9 PM — quietSep 19, 1 AM — quietSep 19, 5 AM — quietSep 19, 9 AM — quietSep 19, 1 PM — quietSep 19, 5 PM — quietSep 19, 9 PM — quietSep 20, 1 AM — quietSep 20, 5 AM — quietSep 20, 9 AM — quietSep 20, 1 PM — quietSep 20, 5 PM — quietSep 20, 9 PM — quietSep 21, 1 AM — quietSep 21, 5 AM — quietSep 21, 9 AM — quietSep 21, 1 PM — quietSep 21, 5 PM — quietSep 21, 9 PM — quietSep 22, 1 AM — quietSep 22, 5 AM — quietSep 22, 9 AM — quietSep 22, 1 PM — quietSep 22, 5 PM — quietSep 22, 9 PM — quietYesterday, 1 AM — quietYesterday, 5 AM — quietYesterday, 9 AM — quietYesterday, 1 PM — quietYesterday, 5 PM — quietYesterday, 9 PM — quietToday, 1 AM — quietToday, 5 AM — quietToday, 9 AM — quiet 12
Sep 10Sep 12Sep 14Sep 16Sep 18Sep 20Sep 22now · 11:47 AM ET
  1. 2

    Nautilus publishes detailed breakdown of methodology and implications

    Science writer David Nield explains how the new model's inclusion of material strength changes moon formation understanding, noting that previous simulations treated colliding bodies as fluids rather than solid rock.

    “When you simulate the Earth and the moon as colliding bodies with geologic properties, it changes how the moon forms out of that impact—that's something we considered unnecessary before.”
    — Adeene Denton
    1. 4 outlets The Moon May Have Been Created in Just Five Hours

      first by Nautilus, 13d ago · also The Cool Down, SciTechDaily, Nautilus | Science Connected

      2 more headlines
  2. 1 day quiet
  3. 1

    Live Science and media outlets report findings of faster moon formation

    Coverage of the study spreads across multiple outlets including Live Science and India Today, highlighting that the moon could have formed in as few as five hours under the right conditions.

    1. 2 outlets The Moon may have formed intact in just five hours after the giant impact

      first by Martin Cid Magazine, 15d ago · also Live Science

      2 more headlines
  4. background

    University of Arizona and SwRI publish moon formation study in Astrophysical Journal Letters — Researchers released computational simulations reassessing how the moon formed after Earth's collision with Theia, incorporating geological properties and material strength for the first time in such models.