Among the 108 specimens brought back to Earth by the Chang’e 6 spacecraft, there is one piece of rock that is completely unique.
A study led by Professor Qiuli Li from the Institute of Geology and Geophysics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences has discovered a priceless treasure among the lunar soil and rocks returned by China’s Chang’e 6 mission from the “dark side” of the Moon.
The Chang’e 6 spacecraft successfully landed in June – (Photo: CNSA).
According to SciTech Daily, the research team dated 108 basalt samples from the lunar soil and rocks that Chang’e 6 brought back to Earth during its recent mission.
Of these, 107 samples showed a consistent formation age of about 2.8-3 million years ago, representing a series of volcanic eruption events during this period.
However, the remaining piece is completely different, a unique treasure: It is 4-4.2 billion years old.
This unusual rock is believed to originate from a volcanic sedimentary strip in the southern area of the spacecraft’s landing site. This is the oldest lunar basalt sample that humanity possesses.
This 108th specimen indicates that volcanic activity on the far side of the Moon lasted for at least 1.4 billion years, with the materials ejected during two periods coming from separate sources with different chemical compositions.
Thus, this rock, weighing only 1,935.3 grams, helps scientists understand how vibrant the Moon’s geological activity once was before it transformed into the barren sphere we see today.
Lunar samples showing two different volcanic eruption phases – (Photo: Muhan Yang).
The dynamic geological activity of a celestial body is closely related to many processes occurring on its surface, including the potential for life to exist.
Some previous studies even suggest that Earth’s satellite may have harbored life – perhaps up to two times – but it went extinct.
Additionally, according to Professor Li, clarifying the volcanic history on the far side of the Moon is crucial for understanding the hemispheric dichotomy of this celestial body.
The Chang’e 6 mission studied an area near the Moon’s south pole, located on the “far side,” the hemisphere facing away from Earth.
The Moon is tidally locked with Earth, always showing one hemisphere towards our planet.
Interestingly, the side we never see has many differences compared to the other side. It is also believed to be an area that could store liquid water and, if fortunate, even life.
The presence of water here also makes the far side of the Moon a suitable location for establishing a lunar base, a future project that many space agencies around the world are pursuing.
The Chang’e 6 mission from China was launched on May 3, 2024, and included an orbiter carrying three smaller spacecraft: a lander, a sample transfer vehicle returning samples to the orbiter, and a spacecraft tasked with returning samples to Earth. The sample return spacecraft landed on June 25, 2024. |
