The researchers, led by Simon Portegies Zwart of Leiden University in the Netherlands, used computer simulations to model the formation of the solar system. They found that the best way to explain the observed properties of Jupiter and Saturn was if they formed from a large, rotating disk of gas and dust that was left over after the formation of the inner planets.
This disk was likely made up of small, icy bodies that collided and stuck together to form larger and larger bodies. Eventually, some of these bodies reached a critical size where they were able to start pulling in more and more material from the disk. These bodies eventually grew into Jupiter and Saturn.
The researchers also found that the formation of Jupiter and Saturn may have had a significant impact on the rest of the solar system. The disk of material that formed the giant planets was likely very dense, and its gravitational pull may have caused the orbits of the inner planets to become more circular and less eccentric. This may have made it easier for life to evolve on the inner planets.
The study provides new insights into the formation of the solar system and the role that Jupiter and Saturn played in shaping it. It also suggests that the humble pebble may have played a key role in the creation of these massive planets.
