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Solar system's smallest planet shrinking faster than we thought
New York Post • • science
Key Points:
- Mercury is shrinking at a rate about 30% faster than previously estimated, with its diameter decreasing by up to 14 miles due to cooling since its formation 4.5 billion years ago.
- The planet's contraction creates surface ridges, or "wrinkles," which are difficult to count because they are often obscured by asteroid impacts and debris.
- Researchers used high-resolution images from the MESSENGER spacecraft to create detailed topographic maps, revealing more contraction-related features than earlier studies detected.
- Understanding Mercury's shrinkage provides new insights into its internal composition and geological history, and may help inform studies of planetary contraction elsewhere in the solar system.
