Where did our moon come from?
4/22/202613 min
Earth didn’t always have a moon. In the beginning of the solar system, when the planets were still forming, something happened that would change Earth’s night sky forever: The Moon was created! How did it happen? This episode, co-host Regina G. Barber searches for answers with planetary scientists. With co-host Emily Kwong, they discuss how the moon was likely made, how scientists know and what that might mean for where Earth’s water came from.
Check out Regina's reporting on hydrothermal vents.
Interested in more planetary science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSpeaker 00:00
This message comes from ID Tech. ID Tech is where kids seven to 17 find their people, the Camp Crunch Labs IRL, BattleBots, and game design people. Visit idtech.com and use code IDTECH to save $150.
Emily Kwong· Host0:14
[gentle music] You're listening to Short Wave from NPR. Hey, Short Wave-ers, Emily Kwong here, and I don't know about you, but nothing grounds me quite like looking at the Moon, this beautiful, powerful companion to Earth. And for the first time in over 50 years, humans have traveled around the Moon.
Speaker 00:35
Four, three, two, one. Booster ignition and lift off.
Tab Prissel· Guest0:41
And we have a beautiful moonrise. We're headed right at it.
Speaker 3· Soundbite0:43
We have reached the closest point of our destination to the Moon.
Emily Kwong· Host0:47
And back- MET five days, 25 minutes and 30 seconds ... on the Artemis II mission.
Speaker 00:52
Integrity splashdown. Sending post-landing command now.
Tab Prissel· Guest0:54
A new chapter of the exploration of our celestial neighbor is complete. Integrity's astronauts back on Earth.
Emily Kwong· Host1:01
And all of this Moon joy has got me thinking about everything the Moon has been through.
Regina Barber· Co-host1:06
Because she's been through a lot.
Emily Kwong· Host1:08
Yes. Regina Barber, my Short Wave co-host- [laughs] ... and astrophysics queen.
Regina Barber· Co-host1:11
Yes.
Emily Kwong· Host1:12
Also, our resident Moon connoisseur.
Regina Barber· Co-host1:14
True.
Emily Kwong· Host1:15
Moonisseur. Mistress of moons.
Regina Barber· Co-host1:16
I like that one.
Emily Kwong· Host1:17
Okay. Speaking of names, other moons have names, like Europa.
Regina Barber· Co-host1:21
Yeah. So Europa is one of Jupiter's large moons. It's my favorite moon. But today's episode is all about Earth's Moon. Some people