Uncovering the Origins of the Earth The ones who discovered Earth were the first humans who looked underneath their feet. As time passed by, people learned that it was a planet. The Center of the Universe? Ancient people thought the Earth was in the middle of the universe and all the stars and planets revolved around it. Many of them also thought the planet was flat. The idea the Earth was the center of the universe persisted until the 16th century. That was when Copernicus established the heliocentric model of the Solar System. Here the Earth and other planets orbited the Sun. This theory was confirmed by Galileo who proved that Jupiter had moons. The idea was met with resistance at first. Eventually, it was accepted and now proven true. How the Earth was Formed The planet was formed 4.54 billion years ago. Following the emergence of the Sun, the matter that would make up the Solar System emerged. They consisted of asteroids and dust. The age of the planet has been obtained via isotope dating. Scientists believe that a supernova may have led to the formation of the Sun and its secretion disc. Whatever the cause was, it left some materials in the inner parts of the Solar System which would eventually comprise the Earth, Mercury, Venus and Mars. The Earth Emerges The Earth formed slowly and was characterized by convulsions and large impacts. Its original surface consisted of magma ocean. After the magma cooled, a celestial body about the size of Mars hit the planet. The impact was such that some materials flew off into space, forming the Moon. The Late Heavy Bombardment period saw the Earth and Moon hit periodically by asteroids, meteors and comets. These explosions and impacts helped produce elements necessary for water to form. The emergence of water eventually paved the way for the appearance of life. After one celled organisms came different forms of life including the dinosaurs, mammals, fish and man. Earth Science This is the branch of science that deals with scientific studies of the Earth. All sciences that study the planet are encompassed by it. The science has four major branches: the study of air, rocks, water and life. All of these have contributed to knowledge about the history and discovery of the planet.
It will never be known for certain exactly who first discovered the planet. What is certain is that our knowledge of the planet is growing continuously. Even so, there are still many mysteries about the planet that remain unresolved. References: http://www.whodiscoveredit.com/who-discovered-earth.html http://www.tech-faq.com/how-the-earth-was-formed.html