MIT Scientists Discover Remnants of Earth’s Lost Ancestor

MIT Scientists Discover Remnants of Earth’s Lost Ancestor
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Scientists from MIT have discovered traces of a planetary body that collided with Earth approximately 4.5 billion years ago, forming a layer deep within our planet’s mantle, as reported by Anadolu Agency (AA).

The research suggests that the catastrophic collision, which is widely believed to have created the Moon, also left behind remnants of this ancient planetary precursor, dubbed Theia. These remnants are concentrated in two distinct, dense layers known as Large Low-Shear Velocity Provinces (LLSVPs), located beneath Africa and the Pacific Ocean.

By analyzing seismic data, the team found that the LLSVPs have a chemical composition that differs from the surrounding mantle material. This indicates the regions are fragments of Theia’s mantle that settled near Earth’s core after the impact. This discovery offers powerful new evidence supporting the giant-impact hypothesis for the Moon’s formation, suggesting a portion of the long-lost planet is still integrated into Earth’s structure.