The solar system could be almost two million years older than previously thought, scientists have discovered using evidence from one of the oldest meteorites.
Researchers revised the age after analysing a mineral "relic" buried deep within the meteorite, known as an inclusion, found in the Sahara desert in northwest Africa.
These minerals, from a 1.49-kilo (3.2-pound) meteorite found in the Moroccan desert in 2004, are among the oldest solid materials formed following the birth of the Sun.
Experts said dating them could provide one of the most precise estimates of the age of the formation of the solar system.
Researchers from Arizona State University used a technique that relied on forms of lead atoms called isotopes to determine the age of this particular inclusion.
They found it formed 4.5682 billion years ago, which was between 300,000 and 1.9 million years earlier than previous estimates.
This age makes the inclusion the oldest material from the solar system that has been dated so far, according to the finding published in Nature Geoscience on Sunday.
"The age of the solar system can be defined as the time of formation of the first solid grains in the nebular disc surrounding the proto-Sun," said Dr Audrey Bouvier, a space scientist from the university's Centre for Meteorite Studies, who led the study.
"This age is estimated by dating calciumaluminium-rich inclusions in meteorites. These inclusions are considered as the earliest formed solids in the solar nebula.
"Their formation marks the beginning for several long and short-lived radiogenic clocks that are used to precisely define the timescales of Solar System events, such as the formation and evolution of planetary bodies."
She added: "From the consistently old ages in the studied inclusion, we conclude that the proto-Sun and the nebular disc formed earlier than previously thought."
via Solar system 'two million years older than first thought' - Telegraph.
This does not change the estimated age of the earth as far as I can tell. I met a person last night who actually believes that the earth is only 6,000 years old. I tried to explain that there are multiple ways of measuring age. These different ways agree where they overlap, so it is reasonable to assume that they are accurate on larger time scales. Tree rings, ice cores, radioactive decay rates of many different types...
3 comments:
Hmm, very interesting, but a little bit meaningless. A bit like a middle aged man discovering he was born a week earlier than he thought.
Wont suprice me if they are still wrong about the age! Science are to ofthen wrong yet they wont admit it. They are wrong about how old the universe is but when arguing about it they ask me to shut up. They so seldom right that they are a shame to human kind, calling them selfes science man and label them selfes with doctor degrees- wow say most of man kind, i say it sucks!
If scientists are so wrong, why do you suppose you can use a computer and the Internet (both created by scientists) to post a criticism of them here?
No need to respond here, just pray your message back to me.
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