"Newly Discovered Moon Rock Challenges Lunar Age Estimates"
TL;DR
Lunar dust collected by Apollo 17 astronauts in the 1970s has revealed that the moon is 40 million years older than previously believed. Analysis of zircon crystals in the collected rocks and dust dated them to 4.46 billion years old, indicating that the moon must also be at least that old. The findings provide valuable insights into the moon's formation and its role in stabilizing Earth's rotational axis.
- Rock collected by Apollo 17 astronauts reveals moon’s true age CNN
- Apollo moon rocks push back lunar formation by 40 million The Washington Post
- Rock collected by Apollo 17 astronaut in 1972 reveals moon's age AOL
- Moon may be ‘40m years older’ than previously thought, researchers say The Guardian
- An Ancient Space Crystal May Have Just Rewritten the History of the Moon VICE
Want the full story? Read the original reporting
Read on CNN