Chinese scientists have offered new insights into the thermal and chemical evolution of the moon after studying samples from the Chang’e-5 lunar sample return mission.

These samples of volcanic rock, which is a type of basalt, are the youngest lunar samples to be directly dated at around 2 billion years old. Analysis of these basalts reveals how the composition and water content of the moon changed over time, which may help us to understand the geological and geochemical evolution of the moon.

Their results were presented in three papers that were published in Nature on October 19.

Source: Institute of Geology and Geophysics,

Chinese Academy of Sciences