In brief
Recent studies analyzing samples from the Chang’e-6 mission indicate that volcanic rock fragments, dating back over 4.2 billion years, were discovered on the moon's unexplored far side.
The article text:Researchers from both the United States and China have made an exciting discovery, showing that volcanoes were actively erupting on the far side of the Moon billions of years ago. Analysis of rock samples collected by China’s Chang’e-6 mission has revealed basalt fragments that confirm volcanic activity dating back more than 4.2 billion years. This significant finding was published in reputable journals, Nature and Science, on Friday. Previously, scientists acknowledged volcanic activity on the Moon's near side—the hemisphere visible from Earth—but the far side, often labeled as the "dark side," remains less understood and largely untouched due to its different geological features. The Chang’e-6 mission, which encountered numerous challenges during its nearly two-month operation, successfully retrieved the first-ever samples from this enigmatic region. Researchers employed radiometric dating techniques to determine the ages of the volcanic rocks, uncovering a particularly "young" eruption that occurred just 2.83 billion years ago, a phenomenon not observed on the Moon's near side.Professor Qiuli Li, from the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, commended the study in a peer review, emphasizing its unprecedented value to the lunar and planetary science community. Although commonly referred to as the "dark side," this portion of the Moon receives ample sunlight; however, it remains hidden from Earth due to the Moon being tidally locked. The first photographs of the far side were taken in 1959 by the Soviet spacecraft Luna 3, leading to more detailed images, including a recent NASA video showcasing the Moon's far side with Earth visible in the backdrop. Earlier this year, during the Chang’e-6 mission, a small rover deployed to capture images of the lander on the far side's rugged landscape.
