NASA’s Apollo 17 mission in 1972 involved geologist and astronaut Harrison Schmitt using an adjustable sampling scoop to collect lunar samples. To stay updated on scientific discoveries and advancements, sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. This time, let’s dive into the mind-blowing revelation that lunar dust collected by Apollo 17 astronauts in the 1970s has unveiled that the moon is 40 million years older than previously thought. When NASA astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt landed on the moon on December 11, 1972, they prioritized collecting rocks and dust from the lunar surface. Through a new analysis of those samples, zircon crystals were discovered and dated to be 4.46 billion years old. This finding challenges the previous estimate of the moon’s age, which was thought to be 4.425 billion years old, formed by a massive celestial collision. Published in the Geochemical Perspective Letters journal, these findings hold immense importance. Philipp Heck, the senior study author and Robert A. Pritzker Curator for Meteoritics and Polar Studies at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, stated that “these crystals are the oldest known solids that formed after the giant impact.” He further added that they serve as an anchor for the lunar chronology as their age is known. The early stages of our solar system were turbulent, with frequent collisions between rocky bodies. Over 4 billion years ago, a Mars-size object crashed into Earth, creating a large rocky piece that eventually became the moon. However, precisely dating this event has posed a challenge for scientists. The rock that would form the moon’s surface was melted due to the energy from the impact, making it impossible for zircon crystals to form and survive. This means that any crystals found on the moon’s surface must have formed after this cooling period. Bidong Zhang’s earlier research, an assistant researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles, suggested that the age of the crystals within the lunar dust could potentially reveal the moon’s actual age. Zhang, together with coauthor Audrey Bouvier, a professor of experimental planetology at Bayreuth University in Germany, approached Heck and lead study author Jennika Greer, a research associate in Earth sciences at the University of Glasgow, to utilize an advanced technique called atom probe tomography to examine the crystals on a nanoscale and determine their chemical composition and the moon’s age. Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, provided the instruments necessary for this unprecedented analytical method. Greer explained the process as sharpening a piece of the lunar sample into a very sharp tip using a focused ion beam microscope. These sharpened tips were then subjected to UV lasers that evaporated atoms from their surfaces. The resulting atoms traveled through a mass spectrometer, revealing their weight and composition. The analysis focused on determining how many uranium atoms in the zircon crystals underwent radioactive decay. Unstable configurations of protons and neutrons within an element can cause it to transform, leading to decay. By assessing how long this process takes and comparing the ratio of uranium to lead atoms, scientists can determine the age of an object. Using this technique, the research team determined that the crystals were 4.46 billion years old, indicating that the moon must also be at least that old. Greer expressed her amazement at holding the oldest bit of the moon discovered to date, stating that it serves as an anchor for understanding Earth’s history. Despite the lunar samples being brought back to Earth more than 50 years ago, it has taken time to develop the necessary technology for a detailed analysis of the crystals. This is why NASA has only recently started unsealing some of the pristine samples collected during the Apollo era, allowing for a deeper understanding of our planet’s natural satellite using advanced methods. This extraordinary revelation emphasizes the moon’s significance in our planetary system. It plays a crucial role in stabilizing Earth’s rotational axis, determines the length of our days, and governs tides. Without the moon, life on Earth would be drastically different. The study conducted by Heck and his team serves as a small piece of the puzzle in unraveling the mysteries of the moon and its impact on our planet.
New Findings from Apollo 17 Samples Unveil Moon’s Surprising Age: 40 Million Years More than Estimated
