Share this Story : The Sarnia Observer Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr

The symphony of Earth and the moon

'We often think of the moon as a lonely, dead rock in the sky. In reality, it is the silent conductor of Earth’s biological symphony'

The story of our world begins with a cataclysm.

About four and a half billion years ago, a wandering protoplanet the size of Mars, which scientists have named Theia, slammed into the infant Earth. The impact was so violent that it liquefied the surface of our planet and blasted a massive ring of molten debris into orbit. 

The symphony of Earth and the moon Back to video

The primary evidence for this violent origin story arrived with the Apollo astronauts. Analysis of lunar samples revealed that the chemical and isotopic composition of moon rocks is nearly identical to Earth’s crust and mantle. Specifically, the oxygen isotope ratios match Earth’s unique signature perfectly.

This geochemical fingerprint suggests the Moon was once part of our planet. Furthermore, the Moon’s lack of a large iron core indicates it was formed from the lighter silicate material........

© Sarnia Observer