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Moon's Age Revised to 4.51 Billion Years in Nature Study

Dec 22, 2024, 10:01 AM

New research suggests that the Moon may be significantly older than previously thought, with its formation occurring around 4.51 billion years ago. This revised estimate challenges the long-held belief that the Moon formed approximately 4.35 billion years ago following a collision between Earth and a Mars-sized protoplanet. The study, published in the journal Nature, highlights a remelting event around 4.35 billion years ago that reset the apparent age of lunar rocks, masking the Moon's true age. This remelting, caused by tidal heating during the Moon's orbital evolution, erased earlier geological evidence, making it appear younger. Researchers used zircon crystals from Apollo mission samples and thermal modeling to support their findings. They propose that the Moon's formation likely occurred 55 million years after the Solar System's creation, aligning with the upper limit of previous age estimates. This discovery provides new insights into planetary formation processes and the Moon's early history.