Article Posted on : - Jan 30, 2010

A file photo.

LONDON (PTI): Contradicting the commonly-held theory that moon is a chunk of rock that broke away from Earth due to an explosion in space, a new study has claimed it was created as a result of a nuclear blast on the surface of the planet itself.

According to the study 'An alternative hypothesis for the origin of the moon', if the moon had been separated from the Earth by an impacting external force, it would be composed of whatever knocked into it and the planet.

"But lunar samples show that the moon is almost identical in chemical composition to the Earth - suggesting there was no impactor involved," the research said.

"Models of solar system evolution show that it is highly unlikely for the chemical composition of the Earth and impactor to be identical," it added.

The research by Rob de Meijer of University of the Western Cape in South Africa and Wim van Westrenen of VU University in Amsterdam is based on the fission theory which was first outlined in the 19th century.

The theory suggested that the Earth and moon were both created out of the same blob of spinning molten rock - with a part becoming separated which later became the moon.

However, aside from an impact, scientists couldn't explain how the blob which became the moon spun off.

The scientists say that their theories could be proved if future moon missions are able to bring lunar samples from greater depths.