What would you think if you were told that the Moonso silent and distant, could it hide a still warm heart? That’s what we suggest the latest discoveries made thanks to the mission Chang’e 5 of China, which could radically change what we know about our satellite. Samples taken from the lunar surface have revealed the possible presence of active volcanoes much more recently than previously imagined.
Surprising Evidence: Volcanoes on the Moon?
During the mission Chang’e 5which brought lunar samples back to Earth in late 2020, scientists have found tiny glass spheres. These seemingly harmless grains could reveal an extraordinary secret: the Moon could be was volcanically active just 123 million years ago. Now, could be It may seem like a huge amount of time, but in lunar geology it’s practically the blink of an eye!
Before this discovery, it was believed that the Moon had stopped erupting long ago, leaving us a cold, inert world. But the truth It seems to be much more intriguing. These little glass spheres could lead to a complete overhaul of how we understand the evolution of the Moon.
New perspectives on volcanism
In 2014, NASA observations via the probe Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter had already suggested that lunar volcanic activity had gradually slowed down. It was believed that the last volcanic breath had occurred less than 100 million years agoduring the time of the dinosaurs. However, the Chang’e 5 samples are the first to provide physical evidence of this activity, confirming that our natural satellite continued to churn until much more recently than previously thought.
Of the over 3,000 grains of glass brought back by the mission, it is estimated that only Three were formed by a volcanic eruption. The rest, however, were probably created by asteroid impacts. But these three small clues are enough to make us rethink everything we knew until now.
This discovery could revolutionize the way we see the small planets and moons in the solar system. If the Moon she managed to keep her activity volcanic for millions of years, could mean that other celestial bodies, now considered “dead”, could also hide surprises beneath their surfaces.
What makes these findings even more fascinating is that they could inspire a new wave of research. The Professor Lionel Wilsonof the University of Lancasterstressed that these findings “could lead to a major revision of our understanding of how the Moon developed.” And he’s not alone: Julie Stopara scientist at the Lunar and Planetary Institute, said that these findings “should inspire many more studies” to better understand how the Moon could have remained active for so long.
If this new information has you curious, you’re not alone! The discovery of evidence of still active volcanoes on Our natural satellite could lead us to look at our satellite with new eyes. There may still be much to discover on the Moonand perhaps even other nearby worlds. Stay tuned to iCrewPlay for more news on these exciting researches!
Want to learn more about the wonders of our solar system? Stay tuned for updates on future space missions and discoveries that could change our understanding of the universe forever!
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