Life on Earth may exist thanks to an incredible stroke of luck — a chemical sweet spot that most planets miss during their formation but ours managed to hit.

The volume of the ocean, its average purity, and the chemical makeup of H₂O allow a simple estimate of the amount of hydrogen ...

A fresh look at past data reveals that exoplanets with masses similar to Jupiter formed much sooner than previously thought, according to new research. The Ohio State University study's results ...

What does it take to make an Earth-like planet? It takes a stellar nursery rich in carbon, oxygen, iron, and silicon in a combination that’s not too much, and not too little, but just right. But these ...

Our Solar System is believed to have formed from a cloud of gas and dust, the so-called solar nebula, which began to condense on itself gravitationally ~ 4.6 billion years ago. As this cloud ...

The origin of life on Earth is still enigmatic, but we are slowly unraveling the steps involved and the necessary ingredients. Scientists believe life arose in a primordial soup of organic chemicals ...

Old crystals found in Western Australia are drawing fresh attention from geologists studying how the planet first took shape.

Satellite image of Earth displayed the North American continent (top) and the South American continent (bottom). (Pixabay via Courthouse News) (CN) — Like making a cake, dry materials came before ...

Tectonic map of the Earth. The first continental crust on Earth formed more than 3 billion years ago. Likely the first fragments formed by partial melting and re-crystallization of the primordial ...

Earth’s journey through the Milky Way might have helped create the planet’s first continents. Comets may have bombarded Earth every time the early solar system traveled through our galaxy’s spiral ...

As much as 45 oceans’ worth of hydrogen may be in Earth’s core, scientists reported, suggesting most of Earth’s water was ...