The Kuiper Belt's formation can be traced back to the very beginning of the solar system itself. As the gas, dust, and rocks combined and settled into planets, some of the residual material drifted far enough away to escape the gravity of the outer planets, but remained close enough to be brought into orbit around the sun. Since the Kuiper Belt is comprised of the material used during the creation of our solar system, it can provide invaluable insight into our solar system's history, and composition.
Source: Facts About the Kuiper Belt and KBO's: by Nola Taylor Redd, http://www.space.com/16144-kuiper-belt-objects.html
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