In brief
Groundbreaking studies from US and Chinese scientists show that volcanoes once erupted on the Moon's far side, with rock samples dating back over 4.2 billion years.
Scientists have made an exciting discovery about the Moon's far side, suggesting it once had volcanic eruptions billions of years ago! US and Chinese researchers analyzed samples from the Chang’e-6 mission, which brought back volcanic rock fragments, specifically basalt, dating back more than 4.2 billion years. While the near side of the Moon is familiar, the far side is largely unexplored with distinct geological features.This analysis was groundbreaking — it was the first time scientists conducted geochronology on samples collected from the far side of the Moon! Interestingly, researchers found evidence of a "surprisingly young" eruption that occurred around 2.83 billion years ago, which has not been observed on the near side.Professor Qiuli Li, a renowned expert, described the study as a significant contribution to lunar and planetary science. Though often labeled the "dark side," this region of the Moon actually enjoys sunlight; the same side always faces Earth due to the Moon's tidal locking.The far side's secrets began to unfold in 1959 when the Soviet spacecraft, Luna 3, captured the first grainy images. Since then, we’ve seen better views, including an extraordinary NASA video showing the far side with Earth in the background. Earlier this year, the Chang’e-6 mission achieved another milestone by deploying a roving vehicle that took a selfie on the rocky surface of the far side. Exciting times in lunar exploration!
