What if the moon crashed into earth? Here's the science behind 'Moonfall'

The moon is earth's cosmic companion: It's our sole natural satellite and the solar system's fifth largest moon. Its presence has a huge impact on our planet since it regulates the tides and stabilizes the climate. In fact, some scientists even believe that planets need objects like our moon in order to support complex life forms. However, have you ever wondered what would happen if the moon crashed into Earth? This is the premise of Roland Emmerich's latest disaster flick, Moonfall.

Thankfully, since the moon stands in a stable orbit, there is no risk of it just randomly changing its orbit and crashing into Earth. But for the sake of scientific inquiry, let's assume the moon was knocked off its course by an unknown force. What would happen is way more interesting and strange than you would probably expect, and this video by the YouTube channel Kurzgesagt does an outstanding job of explaining it with excellent animations. If you want to learn more, make sure you watch the video embedded above, and as always, enjoy.