A new study discussed by researchers at the Kapteyn Astronomical Institute argues that early Earth may have remained in a long-lasting, extremely hot state. Both outlets describe conditions roughly 4.5 billion years ago: a thick, likely toxic atmosphere; a freshly formed, more massive-looking Moon that still shows residual heat; and a surface covered in lava. Previous scientific thinking held that Earth’s initial molten phase did not endure for long. The new work, shared as a preprint on the arXiv server, instead suggests that this global magma or “molten” period could have persisted for as long as half a billion years. The reports frame the claim as part of a broader attempt to understand how such hostile early conditions evolved over time, potentially contributing to the emergence of environments suited to later developments relevant to life. The sources do not provide additional details beyond the overall scenario and the proposed extended duration, and they present the findings as preliminary pending peer review.
Study suggests early Earth’s molten phase may have lasted up to 500 million years
A new study discussed by researchers at the Kapteyn Astronomical Institute argues that early Earth may have remained in a long-lasting, extremely hot state. Both outlets describe conditions roughly 4....
- The reports describe early Earth conditions about 4.5 billion years ago as extremely hot, with lava across the surface.
- They say Earth had a thick atmosphere that would have been toxic by modern standards.
- Both outlets attribute the discussion to a new Kapteyn Astronomical Institute study posted as an arXiv preprint.
- They state earlier ideas suggested the molten phase was brief.
- The study proposes the molten phase may have lasted up to roughly half a billion years.
4.5 billion years ago was an interesting time for Earth. The atmosphere was thick and what we would now think of as toxic. The moon, which was freshly formed, looks much more massive than it does today and faintly glows with the residual heat from its own creation. And the floor was literally lava. Everywhere. If there were any children alive at the time, they would have no chance of winning that game. But for a long time, scientists had thought this molten phase of Earth didn't last long. But according to a new paper, available on the arXiv preprint server by researchers at the Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, it might have lasted for upward of half a billion years.
2 months ago4.5 billion years ago was an interesting time for the Earth. The atmosphere was thick and what we would now think of as toxic. The Moon, which was freshly formed, looks much more massive than it does today and faintly glows with the residual heat from its own creation. And the floor was literally lava. Everywhere. If there were any children alive at the time, they would have no chance of winning that game. But for a long time, scientists had thought this molten phase of the Earth didn’t last long. But according to a new paper, available in preprint on arXiv by researchers at the Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, it might have lasted for upwards of half a billion years.
2 months ago
Dolly Parton dies at 80 after brief battle with cancer, reps say
Country music icon Dolly Parton dies at age 80, and her representatives say she dies following a “brief battle with canc...
SpaceX announces $100 billion Starbase Louisiana spaceport for Starship launches
SpaceX announces plans to build a $100 billion “Starbase, Louisiana” on the U.S. state’s Gulf Coast, aimed at supporting...
Armed gang attack in Haiti’s Kenscoff leaves at least 47 dead and over 50 kidnapped
Armed men attack the community of Kenscoff near Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, leaving at least 47 people dead and mor...