1. Lunar rocks from China's space mission last year show that the Moon may be more recently volcanically active than previously thought.
The rocks are the first lunar samples to be brought back to Earth for the first time in about 40 years.
The rocks are the first lunar samples to be brought back to Earth for the first time in about 40 years.
https://twitter.com/NewsBFM/status/1334048406587777024
2. The samples, which included basalt, a form of cooled lava, were found to be from 2.03 billion years ago.
This means the last known date of volcanic activity on the Moon is about 900 million years later than previously thought.
This means the last known date of volcanic activity on the Moon is about 900 million years later than previously thought.
3. The Chinese Academy of Sciences also say the Moon's interior was still evolving at around 2 billion years ago.
Moon rocks brought back by previous US and Soviet missions showed evidence of lunar activity up to 2.8 billion years ago.
Moon rocks brought back by previous US and Soviet missions showed evidence of lunar activity up to 2.8 billion years ago.
4. However, rocks from the US and Soviet missions were from older parts of the lunar surface.
China's Chang'e-5 mission had collected samples from a previously unexplored area that is believed to be more recently formed.
China's Chang'e-5 mission had collected samples from a previously unexplored area that is believed to be more recently formed.
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