New computer simulations suggest the Moon may have come together in roughly five hours, Live Science reported on September 9, 2026. That is far quicker than the timeline many scientists have worked with, which held that the process unfolded over months or years.
The findings point to a formation scenario in which material thrown off early Earth gathered into the Moon within a single short span. A University of Arizona News headline describes the same modeling work as examining whether the early Moon was "soft and stretchy or rock solid," indicating that researchers are probing the physical state of the material as it assembled.
Coverage of the study has drawn attention beyond scientific circles. WION reported that some internet users argued the five-hour estimate supports a biblical account of the creation of the heavens. That reaction is a public response to the research, not a finding of the study itself.
