The first rocky planets may have formed just 100 million years after the Big Bang, scientists say — and they could have been surprisingly Earth-like

New simulations indicate rocky planets may have formed just 100 million years after the Big Bang. Massive stars exploded, scattering heavy elements needed for planet formation. These enriched pockets of debris could have quickly formed planetesimals. Water may have also arrived early, providing key habitability ingredients. This suggests early cosmic history allowed for planet building.