Laura Colzi

A new study has provided compelling evidence that Earth, shortly after its formation, was initially dry and lifeless, lacking the essential building blocks for life, such as water and organic compounds. Using precise measurements of the radioactive decay of manganese-53 into chromium-53 in meteorites and terrestrial rocks, the researchers determined that Earth's basic chemical composition was established within roughly three million years after the Solar System formed. This finding supports the Giant Impact Hypothesis: Earth’s Moon formed when a Mars-sized body, dubbed Theia, collided with our planet about 4.5 billion years ago. Crucially, Theia appears to have originated farther out in the Solar System and carried volatile elements, including water and carbon-rich compounds, that Earth lacked at the time. Therefore, it seems that Earth’s habitability, and ultimately the emergence of life, was not a straightforward outcome of gradual development but rather hinged on this dramatic, chance impact. 👉 share.google/bDCYVHS7LmMCT8T…