Moon's far side had active volcanoes, similar to near side
What's the story
Recent research has shown that the far side of the Moon also witnessed volcanic eruptions billions of years ago, just like its near side. The finding was made possible by analyzing lunar soil samples brought back by China's Chang'e-6 mission. The spacecraft returned with a large amount of rocks and dirt from this relatively less-explored region, giving scientists valuable data.
Historic findings
Ancient volcanic rock fragments discovered in lunar soil
The two independent research teams that examined the lunar soil samples found fragments of volcanic rock that were about 2.8 billion years old. One was even older, dating back to 4.2 billion years. The findings mark the first physical evidence of an active volcanic history on the Moon's far side, a region that had previously remained unexplored due to its orientation away from Earth.
Mission impact
Chang'e-6 mission's contribution to lunar research
The Chang'e-6 mission would add to our knowledge of the Moon's geology. In 2020, its predecessor, Chang'e-5, returned with Moon rocks from the near side - a first since NASA's Apollo astronauts and Soviet Union spacecraft did so in the 1970s. The Chang'e-4 became the first-ever spacecraft to land on the Moon's far side in 2019. Together, these missions have taught us about both sides of Earth's natural satellite.
Lunar puzzle
Mystery of Moon's 2 halves
The Moon's far side is marked by several craters and doesn't have the flat, dark plains of its near side. The plains are thought to have formed due to lava flows. Why the two halves are so different from each other is still a mystery, says study co-author Qiu-Li Li from Chinese Academy of Sciences. Li added these new findings show over one billion years of volcanic eruptions on the lunar far side, something future research will seek to explain.