Moon Origin: What Science Knows - and What It Doesn't Know

The Scientific Theories

1. Giant Impact Hypothesis (Favorite)

The currently preferred theory, proposed by Hartmann & Davis (1975):

About ~4.5 billion years ago:
    Theia (Mars-sized protoplanet)
        |
    Collides with proto-Earth
        |
    Debris is hurled into orbit
        |
    Debris coalesces into Moon

Supporting evidence:

Problems:

• Isotopes are TOO similar - differences would be expected from an impact
• The geometry of the impact must have been extremely precise
• Newer simulations require constant adjustments

2. Capture Theory

The Moon formed elsewhere and was captured by Earth's gravity:

Moon formed independently
    |
Approached Earth
    |
Was captured by gravity
    |
Stabilized in current orbit

Problems:

This theory is rejected by most scientists.

3. Co-Formation (Co-Accretion)

Earth and Moon formed simultaneously from the same disk of material:

Primordial nebula around young Sun
    |
Material accumulates
    |
Earth and Moon form in parallel
    |
Both from the same material

Problems:

• Does not explain Moon's missing iron core
• Does not explain the system's angular momentum
• Other planets do not have such large moons relative to their size

The Moon's Unusual Properties

Statistical Anomalies

The Eclipse Coincidence

The Moon is ~400x smaller than the Sun, but also ~400x closer. Therefore, both appear the same size in the sky - a coincidence that enables total solar eclipses.

No other planet in the Solar System has this property.

The Stabilization Function

Laskar et al. (1993)

The groundbreaking study in Nature showed:

With Moon:
    Earth's axis wobbles only +/- 1.3 degrees
    = Stable climate

Without Moon (Laskar):
    Earth's axis could wobble 0-85 degrees
    = Chaotic climate

Lissauer et al. (2011) - Correction

Newer simulations relativize:

Without Moon (Lissauer):
    Earth's axis wobbles 10-50 degrees
    = Moderately unstable, but not chaotic

What Is Established

Regardless of the exact wobble range:

The Proselene Tradition

The Ancient Sources

At least five ancient authors mention people who lived "before the Moon":

What the Texts Say

Aristotle (Fragment 591):

"Arcadia had a population of Pelasgians who inhabited the land before there was a Moon in the sky; therefore they were called Proselenes."

Apollonius of Rhodes (Argonautica IV, 264-265):

"Apidanaean Arcadians alone existed, Arcadians who lived even before the Moon, it is said, eating acorns on the hills."

The Scientific Assessment

The Alternative Interpretations

Mainstream Interpretations

1. Rhetorical hyperbole: "Older than the Moon" = "incredibly old"
2. Calendar symbolism: "Before the Moon" = "before the lunar calendar"
3. Cultural identity marker: Arcadians emphasized their unique origin
4. Euhemerism: Mythological language for real historical events

The Resonance Interpretation

The theory offers a different reading:

The Proselene tradition could remember:
- A time when the Moon was positioned differently
- A catastrophe that changed the Moon
- Or: The moment of the Moon's "placement"

The bold variant: The Moon was intentionally placed in its position to stabilize Earth's axis. The Proselene tradition is a degraded memory of this event.

The Open Questions

What Science Does Not Explain

1. Isotope puzzle: Why are Earth and Moon material so identical?
2. Orbit perfection: Why so circular?
3. Size anomaly: Why so large relative to Earth?
4. Eclipse coincidence: Chance or significance?

What We Cannot Know

• Were there witnesses to Moon formation?
• Was the Proselene tradition orally transmitted over millennia?
• Are there other ancient texts we have not yet found?

Research Desiderata

The Deeper Question

The Moon is not just a rock sphere in orbit. It is:

• Our axis stabilizer
• Our tide generator
• Our calendar timekeeper
• Our nighttime companion

Without it, Earth would be a different planet. Possibly one without complex life.

Science says: Coincidence. A lucky collision 4.5 billion years ago.

The Proselenes said: There was a time before.

Who is right?

The answer lies - as so often - in the details we do not yet understand.

The Echoing Question

"If the Moon stabilizes our axis, generates our tides, and maintains our climate - was its 'lucky' positioning really just coincidence?"

Related Chapters

• Chapter 4: Before the Moon Came - The complete Proselene analysis
• Deep Dive: Piezoelectricity - Earth Tides and energy
• Chapter 6: 900 Years of Life - Consequences for humanity