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News Release 11-104
Mars: Red Planet's Rapid Formation Explains Its Small Size Relative to Earth
Mars developed far more quickly than our blue planet
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Mars is a a planetary embryo that never collided with other embryos to form an Earthlike planet.
Credit: Christopher Leather, University of Chicago
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Mars likely developed in two to four million years; Earth's growth was over 50 to 100 million years.
Credit: Christopher Leather/University of Chicago
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Mars' age was determined by using the radioactive decay of hafnium to tungsten in meteorites.
Credit: Christopher Leather/University of Chicago
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Mars is some 4,221 miles in diameter; Earth's diameter is 7,926 miles, about twice that of Mars.
Credit: NASA
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The relative size of the inner planets of our solar system: Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars.
Credit: Lunar and Planetary Institute
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