The true age of the Moon is 40 million years older than we thought

Arabia Weather - New analyzes of parts of the Moon brought by astronauts from the Apollo 17 mission showed that the Moon is about 4.46 billion years old. This means that the Moon is approximately 40 million years older than previously thought. According to previous information, the Moon was estimated to be about 4.4 billion years old.

This discovery plays an important role in understanding the history of the formation and evolution of the Moon, and thus a better understanding of the history and evolution of the Solar System and the Earth. Determining the Moon's age more accurately could help scientists examine and explain the cosmic processes and events that affected its surface and development over the ages.

"Crystals" reveal the true age of the moon

And in the details: A unique source of evidence was used in this study: crystals brought back from the surface of the Moon by Apollo 17 astronauts during their historic flight in 1972. These crystals are ideal for scientific research, as they can be used to more precisely analyze the Moon's composition and evolutionary history. Using material from the Moon itself helps scientists better understand the Moon's composition and content and provides a larger time window into the Moon's evolution and the events it has witnessed over the ages.

These crystalline treasures are among the oldest rocks in the solar system and hold important biological clues. By analyzing the isotopic composition of these rocks, researchers were able to more accurately re-determine the age of the Moon. This analysis and the conclusions drawn from it contribute to understanding the history and evolution of the Moon and provide a deeper insight into its composition and components.

The last manned mission, Apollo 17, helped determine the age of the Moon

The lunar dust sample used in the study was brought by the Apollo 17 mission, which was the last manned mission to the moon in 1972. This sample contains small crystals that formed over billions of years, and is considered a clear sign of the history of the formation of the moon. The crystals act like a kind of hourglass that helps determine the chronological progression of the moon's age and provides scientists with important clues to understanding its history and evolution.

Through their study, the researchers determined that the energy created by the collision melted the rocks and formed the surface of the moon. Since zircon crystals cannot form in a molten surface, the presence of any zircon crystals on the Moon's surface indicates that they must have formed after the lunar magma ocean cooled. This analysis helps determine the minimum age of the Moon and represents important information for understanding the history and evolution of the Moon.

Atom probe tomography technology was applied to zircon crystals taken from lunar samples to precisely analyze the atoms within them, and this allowed the researchers to determine the atomic time of these crystals. These crystals provide important information about the history of the moon's formation and development. This discovery helps improve our understanding of the solar system and its evolution over the ages.

Radioactive decay helps determine the age of a sample

When an atomic nucleus has an unstable distribution of protons and neutrons, it undergoes a nuclear decay process known as radioactive decay. During this process, the nucleus loses some protons and neutrons, causing them to transform into new elements. for example; Uranium can decay into lead. By studying the ratios between different isotopes (different forms of the same element) of uranium and lead in a sample, scientists can estimate the extent of the decay time and thus determine the age of the sample.

Radioactive dating

Radiometric dating is similarly compared to an hourglass. As time passes, atoms transform from nuclei with an unstable composition to more stable nuclei. The time can be calculated by comparing the number of original atoms to the number they were transformed into, since the rate of transformation is known. Based on the ratio of lead isotopes found in the sample, its age can be estimated to be at least 4.46 billion years, the age of the Moon.

The importance of knowing the age of the moon

The researchers stressed the importance of knowing the history of the moon's formation because it plays a vital role in our solar system. The moon helps stabilize the Earth's axis of rotation, which is the reason behind the existence of the 24-hour system and the phenomenon of tides. If it were not for the Moon, conditions on Earth would be completely different. So the Moon is an important part of our cosmic system and we seek to understand it better.

Giant shock theory

Over the centuries, the origin of the Moon has puzzled scientists, and countless theories and speculations have emerged. One prevailing theory is known as the “giant impact theory,” and posits that more than 4 billion years ago, during the birth of the solar system, there was a massive collision between Earth and a large Mars-like body. This catastrophic collision, according to theory, led to the formation of the Moon through the separation of a large piece of Earth, and this piece formed the Moon, which orbits around the planet Earth as a result of its gravity.

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