A moon theory you might not have heard of
1 min readby Anna Veerman
In a fairly recent scholarly article "Formation of the Moon and Its Influence on Earth’s Environment" by Cui-Xiang Zhong, Zhong proposes a new theory on how the moon came into existence.
The author proposes a new theory about how the Moon was formed from the Earth’s own materials, mainly through volcanic eruptions and polar vortex jets, rather than being captured or formed from a massive collision.
Existing Moon theories (and their problems):
Scientists have suggested different ideas like:
- The Moon split off from the Earth (fission theory).
The Moon was formed elsewhere and got caught by Earth's gravity (capture theory).
Earth and Moon formed together from the same cloud of dust.
The most accepted theory is a giant impact between Earth and another planet.
But each of these theories has problems, especially when comparing the Moon’s material to Earth’s—it’s too similar.
New theory ("Generation Theory"):
The author suggests that Earth created the Moon over time.
Violent volcanic eruptions and strong air currents near the poles (polar vortices) threw material high into the atmosphere.
This material formed a ring or cloud (called a "nebula") around the Earth, which slowly clumped together and became the Moon.
Moon’s growth and movement:
The Moon started small near the Earth’s atmosphere and grew like a snowball by collecting more material.
Over time, planetary forces and impacts pushed it farther away, forming the Moon as we know it today.
The Moon’s influence on Earth:
- Beyond controlling the tides, the Moon may also affect Earth’s weather.
- Its gravity can disturb polar vortex systems, possibly causing cold waves, storms, and even wildfires or hurricanes.
Conclusion:
The Moon likely formed from Earth’s own volcanic and atmospheric processes, not from an outside collision. It still plays an active role in Earth’s environment and climate. This “generation theory” could be supported by satellite experiments and offers a fresh way to think about Earth-Moon history.
