That Time Apollo Astronauts Detonated Explosives on the Moon

Apollo astronauts did a lot when they made it to the moon in the 1960s and 70s. They drove cars, they hit golf balls, they planted flags, they ran experiments and they launched mortars … wait, what? Yes, those NASA astronauts not only brought mortars and explosives to the Moon, they used them during Apollo 16 and 17 stays on the lunar surface. However, before you think we were testing military defenses in case of alien (or Russian) incursion, these explosions were all in the name of science.