Moon is millions of years older than previously thought, study suggests
- A new study reveals that the moon is actually 40 million years older than previously thought, and it is at least 4.46 billion years old. This conclusion was reached by analyzing the age of zircon crystals found on the moon's surface.
- The widely accepted theory for the moon's formation is that a Mars-sized object collided with Earth over 4 billion years ago. This impact caused the moon to form from debris. Understanding the moon's formation is crucial to understanding Earth's habitability.
- The analysis of zircon crystals using advanced techniques like atom probe tomography allows scientists to accurately date the crystals' formation and determine the moon's age. This study marks the first use of this technique on lunar crystals.
118 Articles
118 Articles
Unlocking Lunar Secrets: Moon’s Polar Ice Far Younger Than Estimated
A new study reveals that the Moon’s permanently shadowed regions are younger than previously estimated. A team including Southwest Research Institute’s Dr. Raluca Rufu recently determined that the majority of the Moon's constantly shaded areas (PSRs) are approximately 3.4 billion years old at most
Our Moon is about 40 million years older than previously thought. This is claimed by an international team of scientists who examined crystals from lunar dust brought to Earth by the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. It turned out that the batch of lunar rocks brought to our planet at the time contained the oldest “pieces of the moon” we had ever seen. Previous research suggested that the moon is about 4.42 billion years old.
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