Groundbreaking Study Reveals Volcanic Activity on Moon's Mysterious Far Side
Beijing, China - A collaborative study by US and Chinese researchers has shed new light on the Moon's mysterious far side, revealing volcanic activity that dates back to over 4.2 billion years ago.
A team of scientists published their findings in the prestigious Nature and Science journals, marking a significant breakthrough in understanding this lesser-explored lunar region. The study analyzed samples collected during China's Chang'e-6 mission, which retrieved fragments of basalt rocks - volcanic rock formed by eruptions dating back billions of years.
Previous research has documented volcanic activity on the Moon's near side, visible from Earth, but the far side remains geologically distinct and relatively unexplored. The samples, the first ever retrieved from the Moon's far side, were collected during a nearly two-month mission faced with significant risks.
Using radiometric dating, researchers determined the rock's age to be approximately 4.2 billion years ago. They also discovered evidence of a "surprisingly young" eruption approximately 2.83 billion years ago, a phenomenon not observed on the near side.
"This is an incredibly exciting study," wrote Professor Qiuli Li from the Institute of Geology and Geophysics in a peer review. "It represents the first geochronological analysis of Chang'e-6 samples and will be immensely valuable to lunar and planetary science."
The Moon's far side, often referred to as the "dark side" due to its unique orientation relative to Earth, receives sunlight but was not visible from our planet until historic spacecraft captured images in the 1950s.
Recent advancements in technology have provided high-resolution images and videos of this hidden landscape. In June this year, the Chang'e-6 mission deployed a small rover that captured a selfie of the lander on the far side's rocky terrain, marking another milestone in lunar exploration.
The discovery of volcanic activity on the Moon's far side sheds new light on the geological history of our closest celestial neighbor and offers scientists a unique opportunity to study this enigmatic region.