A new study shows that the so-called planetesimals that accreted together to form Earth must have been composed of dry, rocky materials. Billions of years ago, in the giant disk of dust, gas, and ...

Over 4.6 billion years ago, the early Earth emerged from a swirling disk of gas and dust encircling the young sun. This primordial material collided and coalesced, forming larger bodies through the ...

It’s one of the most enduring ideas about the formation of our solar system: Earth collided with a Mars-sized object, Theia, and the debris from this cosmic crash eventually became the moon. But a new ...

Computational modeling shows that plate tectonics weren't necessary for early continents. The formation of Earth's continents billions of years ago set the stage for life to thrive. But scientists ...

Satellite image of Earth displayed the North American continent (top) and the South American continent (bottom). (Pixabay via Courthouse News) (CN) — Like making a cake, dry materials came before ...

Violent collisions between the growing Earth and other objects in the solar system generated significant amounts of iron vapor, according to a new study by LLNL scientist Richard Kraus and colleagues.

Tiny crystals of zircon could be geological evidence that the continents were born at meteor impact sites. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how ...