The moon may be 40 million years older than we thought 🌕

New research using lunar crystals brought back by Apollo astronauts in 1972 has revealed that the Moon is 4.46 billion years old, 40 million years older than previously believed.

The study used a technique called atom probe tomography to analyze the crystals and determine their age.

The crystals, which formed after the Moon’s surface cooled, serve as an anchor for the lunar chronology and provide insight into the Moon’s formation.

Understanding the Moon’s age is important because it plays a crucial role in stabilizing Earth’s rotational axis and influencing tides.