Shrinking Planet, Expanding Knowledge: The Recent Findings on Mercury’s Contraction!

Benjamin Man, from the Open University, unveils a celestial mystery, presenting compelling evidence of Mercury's persistent contraction.

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The cosmic contraction has sculpted 'lobate scarps' across Mercury, elongated tectonic structures narrating the planet’s geological tale.

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Harnessing data from NASA’s MESSENGER mission, Benjamin unearthed small, fresh landforms, known as grabens.

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A meticulous global survey through over 25,000 individual images led to the discovery of hundreds of small grabens.

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The revelation propels us into a universe of questions regarding the thermochemical properties of Mercury’s interior.

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David Rothery, Professor of Planetary Geosciences, provides additional commentary on the findings.

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The forthcoming BepiColombo mission is poised to send back even more detailed pictures from orbit about Mercury in early 2026.

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The findings shed light on the planet's past and pave the way for future research into its thermochemical properties.

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The ongoing contraction of Mercury provides a fascinating glimpse into the dynamic processes shaping the planet.

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