A recent discovery of a single meteorite has cast doubt on our current understanding of the solar system’s formation process. The space rock is older than expected and its age challenges previous research that suggested protoplanets formed in different stages. Initially, scientists believed outer bodies beyond the asteroid belt formed 4.566 billion years ago, while inner bodies did so around 4.563 billion years ago. However, this difference was attributed to the presence of water and ice on the outer bodies, which slowed down their melting process.
The new age of the meteorite suggests that these factors may not have been as influential in shaping the early solar system as previously thought. This finding could revolutionize our understanding of the solar system’s formation and potentially overturn previous theories about the role of protoplanets. Further research is needed to confirm these results and explore their implications for our current knowledge of the cosmos.
Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2486915-meteorite-causes-rethink-of-how-and-when-our-solar-system-formed