Earth may be the only planet in the solar system where life exists. In addition, life on our planet appeared almost immediately after the formation of the Earth 4.25 billion years ago.
Since then, the ring system around the Earth has formed and disappeared, part of the molten Earth flew into space, and cyanobacteria led to the appearance of Homo sapiens. The following is Sputnik’s article on surprising facts and unusual theories about Earth.
Earth had a belt like Saturn
About 715 million years ago, the Earth was completely covered with ice and snow. Even in the equatorial region, the hottest place on earth, temperatures are minus 20 degrees Celsius.
This period lasted almost 120 million years and has been called the “Ice Age” by scientists. According to one theory, it was this Ice Age that formed a system of rings around the Earth, like Saturn today. The ice phenomenon itself caused the Cambrian Explosion – dramatically increasing the diversity of living things. And the Braid phenomenon is the result of another global event: the formation of a system of rings around the Earth, like the rings of Saturn today.
Two American scientists Peter Fawcett and Mark Boslow said that just before the Earth turned into an ice ball, a giant asteroid fell on the surface of our planet. The strong impact flies rock fragments from the giant meteor high above into space near Earth and forms a ring around our planet. It is these asteroid fragments that prevent sunlight from shining directly on Earth, causing the surface to freeze.
However, this belt system is unstable and is rapidly disappearing from Earth’s orbit. Lunar tides and solar winds helped escape the asteroid belt.
However, these belts may only appear once, note the authors. For example, the sudden ice age 34 million years ago and the mass extinction that followed could also be the result of a collision with a large asteroid, from which debris of rock formed in flying saucers near the planet.
The moon was part of the Earth
One of the arguments of those who maintain that Americans have never been to the Moon is the rock sample transferred from this celestial body. The analysis showed that the rock samples from the Moon consisted of materials commonly found on Earth, including the same fraction of isotopes of titanium, oxygen, and other elements. But the problem is not that the lunar specimen is rigged. In fact, just a few billion years ago, the Moon was already part of our planet.
Scientists at the University of California (USA) discovered that shortly after the formation of Earth, a cosmic object the size of Mars crashed directly into our planet. The Earth and this giant object, known as Theia, collided at very high speed.
Theia shattered the earth’s crust. Part of the Earth completely melted and flew into space. Gradually, these cosmic compounds and meteorites come together, forming the Moon.
The Earth formed about 4.5 billion years ago, after the Sun’s giant explosion. The Earth was then a large ball of fire, covered with magmatic currents on its surface. After 100 million years, our planet gradually cools down and forms a solid layer of rock on the surface. Scientists date the geology of the oldest rock samples they have found on our planet and off Earth.
The oldest rock fragment is believed to be a small zircon crystal mined from the earth’s crust in Western Australia. Scientists use atomic scans to measure the ratio of isotopes of lead and oxygen. In this way, they dated the rock 4.4 billion years ago. In other words, it formed as soon as the ocean of magma cools.
Other zircon, quartz and feldspar rock models are similarly dated. This is a sample of rock discovered by humans on the Moon in 1971. At a depth of 20 km, scientists have discovered a rock the same age as the Earth, separated by a collision with Theia celestial and forming the Moon.
In the future, the Earth will have only one continent
About 300 million years ago, Earth had only one continent, Pangea. The continent split into two parts – Laurasia and Gondwana, which then split into present-day continents – Eurasia, North and South America, Africa, Australia, Antarctica, Arabian Peninsula and Hindustan.
Rock samples were found on the Moon in 1971.
According to modern ideas, after 250 million years, the continents will merge into one continent. Some scientists call it Novopangea, others call it Pangea Ultima, Aurica or Amasia. There is no consensus on what the single continent will be and where it will be located.
Geologists from Yale University (United States) have said that Pangea Ultima will be located in the Arctic Ocean region. Other comments suggest that the only continent will be opposite ancient Pangea, surrounded by the Pacific Ocean.
