Scientists have found evidence that suggests a giant impact between early Earth and another planet called Thea. This impact resulted in the melting together of both worlds, forming a rotating disk of molten rock droplets. As a result, the Earth and the moon were formed, but they were thoroughly mixed together. Although evidence of Thea is difficult to find, there is a theory that suggests remnants of Thea may exist deep underground in the Earth's mantle. Two strange, dense and massive blobs in the mantle near Africa and the Pacific could potentially be the remains of Thea. While it is challenging to prove this theory, scientists are exploring volcanic rocks to look for the fingerprints of Thea consumed by Earth. The search for Thea and understanding the creation of the moon leads to deeper questions about our moon and ourselves.
In all our searching of the universe, we’ve never seen another moon like ours. It's big, it's weird, and it has played a huge role in shaping our planet. But how did we get it? Every possible story points to cataclysm.
This episode originally ran on June 15, 2022. It is part of our Lost Worlds series exploring scientific mysteries buried in the deep past.
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