Recent findings suggest that lunar volcanoes were still erupting around 120 million years ago, coinciding with the age of dinosaurs on Earth. (Image: Canva)

In a surprising twist to lunar history, new research has shown that volcanic activity on the Moon lasted much longer than scientists previously thought. Recent findings suggest that lunar volcanoes were still erupting around 120 million years ago, coinciding with the age of dinosaurs on Earth. Published in the journal Science, the study challenges long-standing beliefs about the Moon's geological timeline.

Researchers examined tiny glass beads collected by China’s Chang’e 5 mission in 2020. These beads, no bigger than a pinhead, provide evidence of volcanic origins. The study’s analysis of about 3,000 beads revealed that three were formed by volcanic activity.

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A Shift in Lunar Volcanic Timeline

This discovery shifts the timeline of major lunar volcanic activity forward by nearly 1.9 billion years. Previously, scientists believed such activity ceased around 2 billion years ago, with some estimates pushing it back to 4 billion years. Julie Stopar, a senior staff scientist at the Lunar and Planetary Institute, was taken aback by these results. She described them as “a little bit unexpected.”

While NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter had hinted at recent volcanic activity back in 2014, this study provides the first concrete evidence. Study co-author He Yuyang notes that this finding could offer new insights into how small celestial bodies maintain volcanic activity over extended periods. This understanding could shed light on the geological evolution of various cosmic objects.

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Implications for Future Research

The Chang’e 5 mission, which returned Moon samples for the first time since the 1970s, marks a significant advancement in lunar exploration. As scientists continue to study these samples, including those from the Moon’s far side, our knowledge of lunar geology is set to evolve. Stopar believes this discovery could inspire further research into lunar and planetary volcanism. She hopes it will lead to a major shift in our understanding of the Moon’s thermal history and volcanic activity.

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