Scientists have long been attempting to find out the truth behind how the solar system began. There are many theories, but none of them are conclusive. One in particular claims that intense magnetic fields played a major role in the forming of the solar system, and now it appears this theory could hold true.
Researchers came across a primitive meteorite that was formed around 4.5 billion years in the past. This meteorite could hold the key to finding out how the solar system took shape. It is all about the magnetic fields, so researchers will put a lot of effort in studying the 1.5 pound meteorite that landed on Indian soil back in 1940.
"Magnetic fields can introduce viscosity into the disk, essentially making the gas in it more sticky," said lead study author Roger Fu, a planetary scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "This means gas of differing orbits interacts more strongly with each other, and more gas falls toward the star."
How is it even possible for scientists to get any information from an object that is over 4.5 billion years old? Well, the meteorite is relatively untouched, which means many of its properties are still preserved and can be tested.
"It's a very primitive meteorite, which means that since it formed about 4.5 billion years ago, not much has happened to it," Fu said. "This means it preserves the properties it had when it first formed, helping shed light on that time."
This isn't the first time scientists have searched meteorites for magnetic field samples. They have done so in the 1960s but found nothing worth talking about. Working with this new meteorite is another big chance for them to prove the theory is correct and continue, or find something else to believe in.
It will not be easy for researchers to find what they are looking for. Although, future research could examine space rocks from different times, increasing the likelihood of finding anything of worth.
It is not certain when we'll get the first bit of information from the examination. Chances are, the whole thing might take a lot of time before anything is found and published.
