A Dutch scientist has come up with a new theory for the existence of the Moon. It is perhaps the most disruptive yet advanced theory yet put forward for the creation of our natural satellite. Wim van Westrenen, a planetary scientist at the University of Amsterdam, argues that the Moon is the product of a super explosion that occurred in the Earth's core.
The explosion
Vesteren estimates that the explosion occurred 4.5 billion years ago and had a power comparable to that of 40 billion atomic bombs! The super explosion, as is understandable, essentially "split" the Earth, and one of the pieces of the planet that were launched into space eventually turned into its natural satellite.
Vesteren's theory is based on another theory that was formulated about 60 years ago, which claims that there is a huge nuclear reactor at the center of the Earth. According to the new theory, immediately after the formation of the Earth, radioactive elements such as plutonium and uranium flowed into the outer core of the planet and were transformed into large liquid reservoirs. All this radioactive material caused a chain reaction that led to a terrible explosion in the interior of the planet. "A nuclear explosion is the only thing that can explain the existence of the Moon," Vesteren argues.
The theories
The first popular theory for the Moon's existence was formulated by George Darwin, son of Charles Darwin. The British astronomer had argued that the Moon was created from the Earth when a piece of matter was torn off from the equatorial region of our planet due to centrifugal force. The prevailing theory, however, states that the Moon was created after the Earth collided with a giant space body, possibly a planet the size of Mars.
