Summary:
- New high-resolution computer simulations suggest the Moon may have formed rapidly, potentially within a few hours, following a massive collision between the proto-Earth and a Mars-sized body known as Theia.
- This "immediate formation" hypothesis provides a compelling alternative to traditional models, which typically suggest that the Moon coalesced over a period of months or years from a disk of orbiting debris.
- By accelerating the formation process, this model better explains the Moon's unique isotopic composition and its distinct orbital characteristics compared to the Earth.