New Study Reveals Moon's Surprising Age Discrepancy

A new study based on lunar samples collected in 1972 suggests that the moon is approximately 40 million years older than previously believed, with an estimated formation date of about 4.46 billion years ago. Researchers from the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago used atom probe tomography to examine small crystals containing the mineral zircon, which formed when the lunar surface cooled after a massive collision between Earth and a Mars-sized object. The findings provide valuable insights into the moon's formation and its impact on Earth's habitability.