The first analysis of lava samples from the moon’s far side reveals that volcanoes were erupting there 2.8 billion years ago.
The moon is tidally locked with Earth, meaning the same side always faces our planet. The far side is less explored than the near side. Only two landers, both from China, have made it to the moon’s far side.
In a study published Nov. 15 in the journal Science, researchers analyzed rock samples returned to Earth by the Chang’e 6 lander. The 2024 mission brought back a little over 4 pounds (1.9 kilograms) of rock from the South Pole-Aitken basin — the first samples ever brought to Earth from the moon’s far side.
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