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More Banging Rocks
Spaceflightnow is carrying this article summarizing new research into how the planet Mercury was formed. By using new simulations, scientists believe Mercury's unusually metal-heavy composition was created when the protoplanet collided with a very large asteroid about 4.5 billion years ago. The impact was violent enough for ejected material to reach both Venus and Earth. The model also implies a "reasonable amount" (possibly as much as 16 million billion tonnes [1.65x10^19 kg]) of proto-Mercury is now part of the Earth.
Which of course begs the question, what would these guys consider to be a large amount?
Sounds like a lot, but then, that's about one hundredth of one percent of the Earth's mass.
Sounds like a lot, but then, that's about one hundredth of one percent of the Earth's mass.
Your precision measurements are no match for our incredulous awe! Back, you literalist! I say, back!
(Hey, it works for fundies and liberals, why can't it work for me?)
Posted by: scott on April 10, 2006 07:22 PM