Multiple studies address riddles of the Moon's origin

The Moon may have been formed by a collision between Earth and an object that was strikingly similar in composition to our own planet.

This could help resolve why Earth and Moon rocks are much more similar than we would expect from this "giant impact hypothesis".

The study is one of three published in the prestigious journal Nature.

Two further research papers in the issue report subtle, previously unseen differences in lunar rocks.

Scientists say they paint a consistent - and much clearer - picture of our satellite's history.

The modelling study, done by researchers from Israel and France, precisely simulates the turmoil of the early, inner Solar System and looks at the sort of collisions that might have occurred.