Researchers make new '120 million-year-old' discovery about the Moon

According to research conducted in China, volcanic materials formed approximately 120 million years ago have been discovered on the Moon, Earth's satellite.

Scientists have determined that the Moon, previously thought to have been volcanically inactive for approximately one billion years, experienced volcanic activity while dinosaurs were still living on Earth.

Researchers examining samples collected from the Moon by the "Chang'e 5 spacecraft" approximately 4 years ago have discovered glass fragments in the samples that formed about 120 million years ago.

Examining approximately 3 thousand glass samples found in 4 of the samples brought to Earth, researchers also observed high levels of thorium in the samples.

Researchers stated that the samples are volcanic glass due to their sulfur isotopes and chemical structures, adding that the elemental composition of these samples is similar to that of the volcanic glass brought back during the Apollo missions.

Stating that these samples show there was volcanic activity on the Moon, which is 4.6 billion years old, 120 million years ago, researchers noted that this finding indicates the Moon was volcanically active for most of its existence.

The research was published in the journal "Science".