Chang’e-6 Unearths Volcanic and Magnetic Mysteries on the Moon’s Farside

Debate rages over ancient crater after China returns rocks from moon’s far side

Chinese scientists believe samples found by Chang’e-6 mission answer central question in lunar science, but some in the West have doubts.

Chang’e-6 unearths volcanic and magnetic mysteries on the Moon’s farside

China's Chang’e-6 mission has delivered the first-ever samples from the Moon’s far side, shedding light on one of planetary science’s greatest mysteries: why the near and far sides are so different. The South Pole–Aitken Basin, a colossal crater created 4.25 billion years ago, has now revealed clues about ancient volcanic activity, fluctuating magnetic fields, and unexpectedly dry, depleted lunar mantle regions. These insights could reshape our …

Moon's Far Side & Earth View | China Chang'e-6 Sample-Return Moon Mission

Moon's Far Side & Earth View | China Chang'e-6 Sample-Return Moon MissionPhoto of the far side of the Moon taken by China's Chang'e 6 probe. In 2024, Chang'e-6 made history by bringing 1,935.3 grams of lunar far-side samples back to Earth. These samples were collected from the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) Basin, the largest, deepest, and oldest basin on the Moon. It provided a rare opportunity to clarify the compositional differences between the near…