'Moon made of Earth!': Shocking study rewrites lunar origin and water history.
Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Moon origins
The Moon’s formation may not stem from a collision with Theia but from Earth’s mantle, challenging long-held beliefs.
Water mystery
Earth’s water could have existed from its inception, debunking the theory of meteorites delivering hydration later.
Study source
Researchers from Göttingen University and Max Planck Institute revealed these findings, published in PNAS.
Isotope analysis
Using enhanced laser fluorination, scientists compared lunar and Earth oxygen isotopes, uncovering surprising similarities.
Mantle clues
The match in oxygen-17 isotopes suggests that the Moon primarily formed from Earth’s ejected mantle material.
Theia’s role
Theia may have lost its mantle in earlier collisions, entering Earth like a metallic cannonball, contributing to its core.
Hydration timeline
New data refute the “Late Veneer Event,” showing water on Earth predates lunar formation and was likely from enstatite chondrites.
Meteorite doubts
Many meteorites were ruled out as the source of Earth’s water due to isotope mismatches with Earth and Moon samples.
NASA’s samples
Lunar materials analyzed in the Göttingen lab were sourced from NASA’s Apollo missions, stored at the Johnson Space Center.