**New Study Proposes Moon Formed from Impact with Earth’s ‘Sibling Planet’ Theia**

**WASHINGTON D.C. –** A new study, based on comprehensive analyses of lunar samples and terrestrial rocks, offers a compelling re-evaluation of the Moon’s formation, suggesting it originated from a cataclysmic impact between Earth and a “sibling planet” named Theia. This research proposes that Theia was not a distant intruder but rather a protoplanet that developed in the same inner solar system region as Earth.

The findings challenge earlier hypotheses by positing Theia and proto-Earth as close cosmic neighbors, rather than an impactor from a far-off region of space. Isotopic analyses, central to the study, reveal striking chemical similarities between Earth and the Moon. These similarities provide strong evidence that Theia possessed a rocky composition and a metallic core, with an estimated mass ranging between 5% and 10% of Earth’s.

Further model simulations indicate the existence of an unsampled component within the inner solar system, present in both Earth and Theia. This component may be linked to material originating closer to the sun. The research significantly clarifies Theia’s local origin within our solar system’s early days.

However, despite these advances in understanding, the precise mechanism of the chemical mixing that occurred in the aftermath of this giant impact remains an ongoing area of scientific investigation. The study marks a significant step forward in unraveling the mysteries surrounding the Moon’s genesis and its intimate connection to our planet.