Scientists Confirm Our Solar System Originally Had a Doughnut Shape

Scientists have confirmed that our Solar System initially took the shape of a doughnut or a flat disk, an arrangement believed to be around 4.5 billion years old. In its early stages, the Solar System consisted of a rotating cloud of gas and dust known as a protoplanetary disk, which extended outward from the central star (the Sun) and had a toroidal shape.

Gravity caused tiny particles within this disk to collide and merge, forming larger objects called planetesimals. As more material accumulated, these planetesimals grew into protoplanets. This discovery was made through detailed studies of iron meteorites from our Solar System, which helped scientists understand the early formation and evolution of our planetary system.

These meteorites, containing refractory metals like platinum and iridium, provide evidence that the early Solar System’s material distribution followed a toroidal pattern. This shape likely influenced the development and organization of planets and other celestial bodies, offering valuable insights into the processes that shaped our cosmic neighborhood.

The research team, including Bidong Zhang from the University of California, Los Angeles, found that the protoplanetary disk’s doughnut shape played a crucial role in forming the planets and other bodies in our Solar System.