Short-lived radioisotopes such as aluminum-26 influenced early solar system heat, water retention and the formation of Earth-like rocky planets, according to meteorite analyses and models.
A new SwRI-led paper highlights the scientific progress made in understanding the evolution of terrestrial planets, including the effects of late large impacts on pre-existing modes of tectonics. For ...
The discovery of the Kuiper Belt fundamentally reshaped our understanding of the solar system's architecture and population, revealing a far larger and more complex system than previously imagined.