A recent study suggests that Mercury is shrinking at a faster rate than previously thought, with a potential loss in diameter of up to 14 miles, 30% greater than previously believed. That's a potential loss in diameter of up to 14 miles.
Why is that important? Researchers believe that understanding Mercury's shrinkage could provide insights into the evolution of other contracting worlds in our solar system.
"Understandably, studying the first rock from the Sun is no easy feat, as the entity is obscured by the blinding light from our home star. It’s also the second-hottest planet after Venus, reaching temperatures of 800 degrees Fahrenheit during the day," the New York Post reported.
The rough surface of Mercury, continually reshaped by impact craters, may have obscured the true extent of the planet's shrinkage. "As its heavy iron core cools, the entire planet shrinks, like a grape transforming into a raisin in the sun. Its outer crust buckles and cracks around it, but on a planet scale, those surface wrinkles translate into huge cliffs and mountainous ridges," Mashable explained.
Mercury's shrinkage is attributed to the cooling and contraction of its hot iron core, mantle, and crust, causing the planet to tighten like a girdle over its 4.5 billion-year history.
BepiColombo, a pair of European and Japanese spacecraft, is expected to enter orbit around Mercury in November and will use a laser instrument to confirm the extent of Mercury's shrinkage due to internal cooling.
And whatever they find could have implications for other celestial bodies. "This roughness bias may also be critical for other terrestrial bodies like the Moon," researchers wrote.
