Scientists have unveiled groundbreaking findings from China’s Chang’e-6 mission, which successfully retrieved nearly 2 kilograms of lunar soil and rock from the moon’s far side. This is the first-ever sample collection from the lunar far side, a historic achievement that strengthens China’s status as a global space power.
Analyzing the samples has revealed volcanic rock dating back 2.8 billion years, suggesting the site was volcanically active around that time. This is a striking discovery as it represents a relatively recent volcanic event on the moon, distinct from the older samples brought back by NASA’s Apollo missions and Russia’s Luna missions. The Chang’e-6 sample findings were recently published in Science and Nature journals.
Unlike previous samples, the Chang’e-6 materials are surprisingly young and do not contain radioactive elements commonly seen in Apollo samples, presenting an intriguing mystery about how these magmas were generated. “The absence of radioactive elements in the Chang’e-6 samples raises questions about the moon’s volcanic activity,” said Dr. Clive Neal, a co-author of the research paper.
These initial findings open new doors for lunar research. Although access to the samples is limited, international scientists can apply to study them, enabling broader collaboration in solving the moon’s geological mysteries. As scientists dive deeper into these samples, the Chang’e-6 mission’s insights may reshape our understanding of the moon’s volcanic history and the striking differences between its near and far sides.
Source: Swifteradio.com
