Revolutionary Discovery: Chinese Scientists Uncover the Moon’s Far Side Was Once a Vast Magma Ocean!

Exciting news has emerged from China’s Chang’e 6 mission. Recent samples returned from the moon shed light on its geological history, particularly its volcanic past. This discovery is helping scientists piece together how the moon formed.

Launched in May 2024, the Chang’e 6 mission is China’s second attempt to bring back lunar samples, following the successful Chang’e 5 mission in 2020. Unlike its predecessor, which landed on the near side of the moon, Chang’e 6 explored the far side, a region that had yet to be sampled.

In June 2024, Chang’e 6 successfully returned with about 1,935 grams of material from the South Pole-Aitken Basin. This area is scientifically rich and holds many secrets about the moon’s history.

One of the key findings from the analysis of these basalt fragments is a boost for the theory of a vast magma ocean that covered the moon billions of years ago. Scientists believe this molten layer lasted from tens to hundreds of millions of years and was crucial in shaping the moon’s surface. The basalt samples from Chang’e 6 resemble low-titanium basalts collected during NASA’s Apollo missions, suggesting that volcanic activity occurred all over the moon.

The samples from Chang’e 6 also present intriguing differences compared to those from the Apollo missions, particularly in the ratios of uranium and lead isotopes. This variation likely stems from a significant impact event that formed the South Pole-Aitken Basin about 4.2 billion years ago. The immense force of the impact may have changed the moon’s mantle, producing distinct materials that Chang’e 6 collected.

These findings open new doors for lunar research. Differences in the density, structure, and chemical makeup of the samples could lead scientists to rethink existing theories about the moon’s origin and evolution. The discoveries from this mission might even provide insights into the early stages of other celestial bodies.

The Chang’e 6 mission represents a significant leap in our understanding of the moon, revealing more about its past while propelling us toward the future of lunar exploration. As scientists continue to analyze these samples, the mysteries of the moon’s history bring us closer to understanding our own planet’s place in the universe.

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