A tiny glass bead from the moon offers clues to its hidden interior

A tiny glass bead from the moon offers clues to its hidden interior

A glass bead retrieved by China's Chang'e-5 lunar mission is offering a glimpse into the moon's hidden interior and violent past.

The small “glass bags” of green color collected during the Chinese Sensing Mission Chang'e-5 provide people with no prior information about the moon's hidden interior, announced by Chinese and Australian researchers.

There might be a 'hot' side of the moon

The Moon’s nearside (that is, the side facing Earth) is dark-coloured and dominated by ancient lava flows, whereas the farside is more rugged - and NASA researchers now suggest it's due to a wonky lunar interior. Using data from twin spacecraft named Ebb and Flow, they found a 2-3% difference in the moon mantle's ability to deform on each side. They say this data could be explained by the nearest hemisphere's insides being up to 170°C hotter tha…

Chinese researchers construct high-precision terrain dataset of Chang'e-6 landing area

A Chinese research team has successfully constructed a high-precision terrain dataset of the Chang'e-6 landing area using high-resolution images captured by the mission. The dataset precisely identifies the Chang'e-6 landing site.

Glass Beads Provide Insight into Moon's Mysterious Interior

Sydney, Australia (SPX) May 13, 2025 Researchers from Curtin University, Nanjing University, and The Australian National University have discovered unusual high-magnesium glass beads collected by China's Chang'e-5 mission, revealing potential clues about the Moon's mantle. These tiny green glass beads, distinct from typical lunar impact formations, may have originated from deeper within the Moon, suggesting an asteroid impact likel

An international study offers new knowledge about the history of the Moon and a better understanding of what lies beneath its craterized surface. ...