What's happened
Recent studies reveal that volcanic activity on the Moon's far side occurred as recently as 2.8 billion years ago, with some rock fragments dating back to 4.2 billion years. These findings, from China's Chang'e-6 mission, challenge previous assumptions about the Moon's geological history and suggest a more complex volcanic timeline.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to the BBC News, the analysis of samples from the Chang'e-6 mission revealed volcanic rock fragments dating back over 4.2 billion years, marking a significant discovery in lunar geology. The Independent highlighted that these findings confirm volcanic activity on the Moon's far side, which was previously thought to be less active than the near side. Sam Corbishley from Metro emphasized the importance of obtaining samples from this unexplored region, stating, 'To obtain a sample from this area is really important because it’s an area that otherwise we have no data for.' The South China Morning Post noted that the volcanic activity on the far side was traditionally believed to have ceased much earlier, making these findings particularly surprising and significant.
How we got here
The Chang'e-6 mission, launched by China, successfully collected lunar soil and rock samples from the Moon's far side, an area previously unexplored. This mission follows earlier efforts, including Chang'e-4 and Chang'e-5, which focused on the near side and provided foundational data about lunar volcanism.
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China, officially the People's Republic of China, is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population of around 1.4 billion in 2019.
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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the U.S. Federal Government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and space research.
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The University of Arizona is a public research university in Tucson, Arizona. Founded in 1885, the UofA was the first university in the Arizona Territory.
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The Chinese Academy of Sciences is the national academy for the natural sciences of the People's Republic of China. It has historical origins in the Academia Sinica during the Republican era and was formerly also known by that name.
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