Scientists Just Unlocked a 4.16-Billion-Year-Old Moon Mystery 🚀
China’s Chang'e-6 mission has delivered cosmic receipts! Lunar samples collected from the moon’s far side have precisely dated the Apollo Basin to 4.16 billion years old – shedding light on one of the solar system’s biggest mysteries: the Late Heavy Bombardment (LHB).
Why This Rocks the Science World 🌍
Think of the LHB as the solar system’s chaotic teenage phase, when asteroids pummeled planets and moons. But did this bombardment fade slowly or end abruptly? The Chang'e-6 samples, analyzed by Chinese and international researchers, reveal the LHB’s intensity gradually declined – debunking theories of a sudden spike 3.8–4 billion years ago.
How They Cracked the Code 🔍
By studying tiny impact-melt fragments (smaller than a grain of sand!) from the Apollo Basin, scientists used geochemical data like cosmic detectives. These ‘geological clocks’ confirmed the basin formed during the LHB’s early days, pushing its timeline back by 100 million years.
Why It Matters for Us 🌌
This isn’t just moon gossip. Understanding the LHB helps explain how Earth and other planets evolved. Plus, Chang'e-6’s 1.93kg of far-side samples – a first in human history – are dropping truth bombs about volcanic activity, lunar water, and ancient magnetic fields.
Published in Nature Astronomy, this study proves space exploration is still full of surprises. Next stop: decoding more secrets from China’s lunar treasure trove! 🌏✨
