Rice University scientists – Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, may have helped Earth even before our planet existed. The gas giant’s early growth blocked the flow of gas and dust toward the inner solar system, according to new research from Rice University scientists. This prevented the material from being drawn toward the Sun that ultimately formed the Earth, Venus, and Mars.

The study also shows that Jupiter’s gravity not only helped the inner planets become stable, but also shaped the structure of our solar system by carving out rings and gaps, which had a major impact on how, when and where rocky bodies formed.