Discovery Reveals Earth Began Forming Much Earlier Than Scientists Thought

File - The Crew Of Apollo 17 Took This Photograph Of Earth In December 1972 While The Spacecraft Was Traveling Between The Earth And The Moon. (Photo By Nasa/Getty Images)

Earth began forming much earlier than previously thought – at the same time as the sun, according to new research.

Building blocks of planets come together while their host star is growing – rather than once it has reached its final size.