Imagine holding a piece of the early solar system in your hands — a 4.5-billion-year-old artifact that predates our planet. Thanks to the Apollo missions of the 1960s and 70s, and China’s 2024 Chang’e-6 mission, researchers now have the opportunity to hold, and study, lunar samples that provide a unique glimpse into the distant past.
Moon rocks, brought back to Earth by NASA's Apollo missions and China's Chang’e probes, are far more than ordinary space debris. These samples hold invaluable clues to the history of our nearest celestial neighbor, offering insights into the formation of the Moon, Earth, and the solar system.
And, with China returning the first-ever samples from the Moon’s far side, scientists are on the verge of unlocking new information about the Moon’s evolution and cosmic history.
