Early Earth may have been a hot doughnut: Our planet may have spent part of its violent infancy as a geological 'jelly doughnut'.

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  • Author(s): Yeager, Ashley
  • Source:
    Science News for Students. 8/11/2017, p1-1. 1p. 1 Color Photograph.
  • Additional Information
    • Subject Terms:
      LOCK, Simon; STEWART, Sarah; EARTH (Planet); THEIA (Ancient planet); CENTRIFUGAL force
    • Abstract:
      The article presents a study conducted by planetary scientists Simon Lock and Sarah Stewart which reveals that doughnut Earth would have existed some 4.5 billion years ago when Earth smacked into a Mars-sized hunk of rotating rock called Theia, published in the journal "Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets." The study mentions that prior to the collision, Earth's diameter had only been some 13,000 kilo­meters while centrifugal force would have flattened the shape of Earth.