Presented at the Goldschmidt Conference in Prague, the findings from the meteorite Northwest Africa 16286 offer compelling evidence that the Moon maintained internal heat far longer than previously documented. The meteorite's unique chemical signature indicates it formed from lava that erupted from deep within the Moon and later solidified, revealing new clues about the Moon's thermal evolution.
Researchers from the University of Manchester conducted lead isotope analyses that confirm the rock's age. "The age of the sample is especially interesting because it fills an almost billion-year gap in lunar volcanic history," said Dr Joshua Snape, presenting the findings. "It's younger than the basalts collected by the Apollo, Luna and Chang'e 6 missions, but older than the much younger rocks brought back by China's Chang'e 5 mission."
This rare specimen-only the 31st lunar basalt officially identified-contains large olivine crystals and features a geochemical profile distinct from previous lunar samples. It holds moderate titanium and high potassium content and shows a particularly high uranium-to-lead ratio. These characteristics point to an unusually heat-retentive mantle source, supporting theories of long-term radiogenic heat production on the Moon.
Dr Snape emphasized the scientific value of such finds: "There's some serendipity surrounding this sample; it just happened to fall to Earth and reveals secrets about lunar geology without the massive expense of a space mission."
Weighing 311 grams, the meteorite also displays melted glass pockets and shock veins-evidence of an asteroid or meteorite impact that likely dislodged it from the Moon's surface. Although the impact event complicates precise dating, the team estimates its age with an uncertainty of about 80 million years.
The research, supported by the Royal Society, is expected to be published in full later this year.
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