Moon origin story had a major impact on the Earth's atmosphere

Earth formed around 4.5 billion years ago. In the surrounding chaos of this younger universe, our planet survived several impacts from massive bodies.

One of those collisions may have birthed the Moon. And new research reveals it may also have cost the Earth a portion of its atmosphere.

Previous research has suggested collisions of this kind during the late stages of a planet's formation period can affect its atmosphere.

In the new study, researchers ran more than 300 computer simulations of massive objects colliding with rocky planets with thin atmospheres, like Earth.

Around 4 billion years ago, scientists theorize a massive object the size of Mars, dubbed Theia, collided with a young, developing Earth.

The collision tossed vaporized particles from Earth into space. These particles bound together to form the Moon.

This study not only offers scientists new insight on how the Moon may have formed, but also details a novel way to study the effects of similar collisions on the atmospheres of young, rocky planets like the Earth.

To be habitable, a planet’s atmosphere needs to be thick enough to transfer heat and offer insulation. If the Earth didn’t have its atmosphere, the temperature at the surface would be as low as -20 degrees Celsius.

In this way, the objects that collided with a young Earth had a major, lasting effect on life as we know it.