How Did Our Solar System Form? Unpacking 4.6 Billion Years of Cosmic History

Let's start with the big picture. Our solar system began as a cold molecular cloud - think of it as space dust and gas floating in a quiet corner of the Milky Way. But here's the kicker: this cosmic nursery wasn't entirely "local." Chemical analysis of meteorites reveals calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs) older than the Sun itself, suggesting some materials came from ancient supernova explosions. [2020-06-20 23:32]