Latest news with #Chang'e5
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Why is the moon's far side so weird? China's lunar sample-return mission may have figured it out
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The origin of the strange differences between the near and far sides of the moon are a step closer to being solved, thanks to new findings from China's Chang'e 6 mission that returned samples from the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin. The near side of the moon is familiar to us as the only side that we can see from Earth. Dark regions called maria are vast lava plains filling lowland impact basins, and give us the pattern of the "man in the moon." Yet the far side of the moon, which can only be seen by orbiting spacecraft, has barely any maria and is covered by craggy, cratered and ancient highlands. That's not the only difference between the two hemispheres; the thickness of the moon's crust is thinner on the near side, volcanic activity appears to have occurred at different points in time, and the mantle beneath the far side seems heavily depleted in certain elements compared to the near side. However, while we have many samples from the lunar near side, particularly those brought back to Earth by the Apollo missions, the Soviet Luna missions and China's own Chang'e 5, we had nothing from the far side with which to test theories. Then, in June 2024, China's Chang'e 6 mission landed in the SPA basin and brought back samples totaling 1,935.3 grams (68.27 ounces). The SPA basin is the largest impact site on the moon, spanning 2,500 kilometers (1,600 miles) and extends from the lunar south pole and onto the far side of the moon. It's also the oldest known impact feature on the moon, with an age of 4.25 billion years. What impact — pardon the pun — could the sheer violence of the SPA basin's formation have had on lunar geology and the thermal evolution of the moon's interior? Could it have caused the dichotomy between the moon's two hemispheres? Chang'e 6's samples are the first from the lunar far side, and have offered a unique opportunity to test models that could potentially explain the difference between the moon's two hemispheres. Consequently, following analysis of the samples, researchers led by a team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have announced four major discoveries. The first is that the samples contain volcanic rocks called basalts that date to prolonged volcanic outbursts on the lunar far side in two distinct phases, one around 4.2 billion years ago and another 2.8 billion years ago. "We propose that the 4.2-billion-year-old basalt was associated with the formation of the SPA basin because it is a high-aluminum basalt, requiring the incorporation of crustal plagioclase into its source," Wei Yang, a professor at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, told in an email interview. Meanwhile, "the 2.8-billion-year-old basalts originated from the deep mantle, the product of the early stage crystallization of the lunar magma ocean." The evolution of this lunar magma ocean that formed the moon's mantle is central to the next discovery, which is that geochemical analysis of the basalt samples points to a source in the lunar mantle deep below ground that is heavily depleted in particular elements such as thorium. It is unknown whether this depleted mantle is found only beneath the SPA basin, or whether it is more extensive across the moon. "To be honest, we don't know," said Yang. One possibility is that the moon has had this depleted mantle since birth, in which case both the near and far sides should share this composition. The other possibility is that it was produced after the lunar magma ocean formed and began to crystallize. "Personally, I am more inclined to believe the latter, given that such a massive impact has the potential to affect the mantle down to a depth of 250 kilometers [155 miles]," said Yang. "If it is only present in the SPA basin, then it must have formed as a result of the SPA impact. To figure this out, we need to collect more samples from the moon's far side, particularly from areas outside the SPA." The third discovery is of something we wouldn't expect to find on the moon: water. However, we are talking parts-per-million here — the Apollo samples were considered "bone dry," and the far side mantle seems to be even drier than that. "The water content of this mantle is lower than those of the mantle sources of all the basalts from the near side," said Yang. The final discovery relates to the moon's magnetic field. Earth's natural satellite currently doesn't have a global magnetic field, and traces of magnetism remain only in a handful of anomalous patches called lunar swirls. However, in the distant past it did have a global magnetic field. The Chang'e 6 samples retain a record of it, and show that the magnetic field, after decaying for a time, rebounded in strength about 2.8 billion years ago. This indicates that the moon's internal dynamo fluctuated, possibly episodically, rather than just experiencing a slow but gradual decline. Related Stories: — Why is the far side of the moon so weird? Scientists may have solved a lunar mystery — The far side of the moon was once a vast magma ocean, Chinese lunar lander confirms — China returns samples from the moon's far side in historic 1st (video) The timing coincides with the second phase of volcanism on the far-side. "The magnetic field rebounded 2.8 billion years ago, which suggests that the interior of the moon still contained a lot of energy," said Yang. "Perhaps convection and the upward flow of hot material existed in the lunar mantle at that time." Not only could this upward flow have triggered volcanic eruptions, it could have been enough to vaporize much of the water in the mantle, drying it out. If the creation of the SPA basin is the cause of much of this, then it has repercussions that go far beyond the moon. Other giant impact features are seen on other bodies, particularly on Mercury and Mars. We may have underestimated the role that these giant impacts played on the evolution of the planets' interiors. The Chang'e 6 results were presented in four papers (1, 2, 3, 4) that were published recently in the journal Nature.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Following their 'Footprints'
'My China Album' event celebrates discovery journeys by US citizens WASHINGTON, May 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The following article was published today by China Daily. China and the United States each has strengths in science and technology, and the right path forward is mutual learning and cooperation for shared success, Beijing's top envoy in Washington said on Wednesday, as the US announced new curbs on tech exports. "Blockades never prevent breakthroughs; churning waves won't hold back determined ships," Ambassador Xie Feng said at the premiere of the documentary My China Album — My China Footprints and the Glimpses of Modern China show. The event celebrated the sixth edition of "My China Album", an annual initiative co-hosted by the embassy and China Daily, featuring personal stories, short films and interactive exhibits that explore US citizens' experiences in China. Washington ordered a broad swath of companies to stop shipping goods — including design software, machine tools and aviation equipment — to China without a license and revoked licenses already granted to certain suppliers, Reuters reported on Wednesday. The new restrictions followed earlier US guidelines seeking to globally restrict the use of Chinese advanced computing chips. In a rare showcase in Washington of China's robotics technology, a 1.3-meter-tall humanoid robot, developed by Chinese tech company Unitree Robotics, invited Xie to the stage at the start of Wednesday's event at the embassy. "So cute. I never thought that I would be invited on stage, you know, by a robot. So who knows, maybe one day it will be the one standing here giving the speech," Xie quipped. He noted China's pursuit of innovation is not to oppose or out-compete anyone, but to improve the lives of its own people and the greater development of humanity. "A big yard with iron curtains only leads to isolation; blocking other countries slows global innovation; and weaponizing scientific collaboration harms one's own credibility and weakens competitiveness," Xie said, without mentioning any of the fresh US curbs. But he did recall the past feats the two countries made in science and tech exchange. They include joint efforts to promote folic acid intake that helped millions of newborns, and helping Africa combat Ebola. Most recently, China shared lunar soil samples from the Chang'e 5 mission with Brown University and Stony Brook University. In his speech, Xie noted that China is using technology to improve lives at home and around the world. He highlighted China's advances in green development and technology, noting that over 87 percent of days in China last year had good air quality, and the country created one-quarter of the world's new green spaces. China has also built the world's largest renewable energy system, employing nearly half of the global workforce in the sector. Its solar and wind products are exported to over 200 countries and regions, helping cut global carbon emissions by over 3.6 billion tons. Xie also pointed to DeepSeek, an open-source AI model, as an example of China's openness and contribution to global progress, offering hope for bridging the digital divide in the Global South. The ambassador also said that it is people-to-people ties that invigorate China-US relations. "The future of this relationship ultimately depends on the two peoples. We warmly welcome more American friends to travel in China, shop in China, succeed in China and take part in Chinese modernization," he said. In addition to the feature-length documentary My China Footprints, Wednesday's event also featured four short films, telling stories that are diverse, yet unified by a common thread — the powerful impact of people-to-people exchange. In My City, My Home, the audience met Charles Stone, a lawyer who discovered tranquility and safety in Shenzhen, and Neil Schmid, a researcher deeply engaged with the ancient Buddhist art of Dunhuang. Welcome to the Future took viewers on a journey through China's technological achievements — from the speed of sleek bullet trains to the everyday convenience of QR code payments — as seen by students like Ruthie Fike and content creators like BeeRose. Common stereotypes Meanwhile, Misconceptions vs. Reality offered a refreshing counter-narrative to common stereotypes. It followed Dustin Madison, who was surprised to find Shenzhen especially welcoming for families, and Katherine Loraine Olson, who explored China's abundant green spaces. The final short film, City or Not City, documented the whirlwind travels of Thelma Lancaster and Evan Kail, who made full use of China's extended 240-hour visa-free transit policy to explore Beijing and Tianjin, immersing themselves in the culture despite a brief visit. "These stories matter because they remind us of what's possible. Yes, tensions exist in China-US relations — trade disputes and the technology barriers created by the US dominate news headlines — but cooperation and friendship remain the bigger story," Qu Yingpu, publisher and editor-in-chief of China Daily, said in a video speech. Citing President Xi Jinping's remarks that "the hope of the China-US relationship lies in the people, its foundation is in our societies, its future depends on the youth, and its vitality comes from exchanges at subnational levels", Qu said that projects like "My China Album" prove this to be right. "From Bill Einreinhofer, who is at the event today, sharing his Emmy-winning insights, to tech firms like Rokid showcasing innovation, tonight's event reflects that vitality," Qu said. "China Daily is proud to amplify these voices, showing a real, vibrant China to America." More than 200 people, including people from all walks of life in the US, attended the event. In the Glimpses of Modern China show, participants were wowed by a dancing robot dog from Unitree that can walk on two legs and shake hands with visitors. There was also a robot that could do Chinese kung fu, and also help people with fire and earthquake detection. At the demonstration site of Rokid, a Hangzhou-based AR (augmented reality) glasses maker, Spanish and English-speaking visitors found that they had no difficulty talking with the Rokid staffers, who spoke Chinese with them. The AI-powered glasses can translate more than 100 languages in real time. By ZHAO HUANXIN in Washington View original content: SOURCE China Daily USA Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
China is sharing priceless moon samples with international partners, but NASA can't be a part of it
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Precious moon samples brought back to Earth by China's Chang'e 5 mission in 2020 have finally been shared with international researchers — but the law has made it difficult for U.S.-based scientists to receive any of the material. Earlier in May, British planetary scientist Mahesh Anand of the Open University in Milton Keynes travelled to China to "borrow" 60 milligrams (0.002 ounces) of the 1,731-gram (3.8 pounds) Chang'e 5 sample. Scientists from elsewhere in Europe, as well as Ethiopia, Russia and the United States, are also receiving samples. In the other countries, government funding bodies are paying for the analysis of these loaned samples, but NASA is prevented from funding U.S.-based researchers to do the same. Instead, Timothy Glotch, the lone American planetary scientist who has received a sample of the Chang'e 5 material, had to be funded privately by his own institution, Stony Brook University in New York. That's because of a law passed in 2011 called the Wolf Amendment. Named after Frank Wolf, the Republican senator who pushed for it, it was inserted as an amendment into the 2011 federal budget and bars bilateral cooperation between NASA (and the scientists the agency funds) and the China National Space Administration (CNSA) and Chinese scientists. The aim is to prevent Chinese government scientists from gaining knowledge of American space technologies that the U.S. government fears could then be used militarily by China against the United States. The Wolf Amendment seems counter to the old way of doing things. Science has often been a bridge between opposing countries. During the Cold War, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) was a project that U.S. and Soviet scientists worked together on, including a famous conference held in the USSR in 1971. Another example was the Apollo–Soyuz rendezvous in 1975, when astronauts and cosmonauts shook hands in space. The Wolf Amendment, however, prevents similar space-science cooperation taking place between the U.S. and Chinese governments without the prior approval of Congress. And, it seems, the Wolf Amendment works both ways, preventing NASA from receiving or funding research into the Chinese moon samples. Luckily for Glotch, this has not stopped China from sharing a sample with him and his research group, which includes scientists at San Francisco State University and the University of Hong Kong, as long as they are funded privately. Allowing American researchers access to the Chang'e 5 samples is important, because it allows them to make direct comparisons between Apollo-era lunar samples and the Chang'e 5 samples in the same lab. Glotch plans to test the thermal properties of his "loaned" sample by heating it (we say loaned, but the analysis will likely destroy the sample), and then comparing it to thermal maps of the moon to provide a greater understanding of the composition of different lunar regions based on how they heat up and cool down in sunlight, relative to the Chang'e 5 sample. Related stories: — China's Chang'e 5 capsule lands on Earth with the 1st new moon samples in 44 years — China returns samples from the moon's far side in historic 1st (video) — The moon on Earth: Where are NASA's Apollo lunar rocks now? The Chang'e 5 sample was obtained by the Chinese spacecraft from Mons Rümker, which is an ancient volcanic region in the giant Oceanus Procellarum ("Ocean of Storms"). By making direct comparisons between the Apollo samples, which were taken from various locations on the moon, and the Chang'e 5 sample, Glotch's group hopes to gain greater insights into the volcanism that created the samples in the first place. Chinese scientists have already discovered that the basaltic material in the Chang'e 5 sample is substantially younger than the volcanic samples collected by Apollo, by billions of years. This tells us that the moon was volcanically active for much longer than scientists had realized — perhaps as recently as 120 million years ago. Meanwhile, in the United Kingdom, Anand's team will heat some of their 60 milligram sample to 2,550 degrees Fahrenheit (1,400 degrees Celsius) to extract noble gases such as argon and krypton, as well as carbon, nitrogen and oxygen, to provide more data about the history of those elements in the solar system.
BBC News
10-05-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Moon dust has arrived in the UK from China
The first samples of rock from the Moon brought back to Earth from a Chinese lunar mission in 2020 have arrived in the tiny grains, which have been described as "more precious than gold dust", are the first samples drilled from the Moon in nearly 50 years. They've now been offered to the UK on loan by China's space agency. Scientist Mahesh Anand was chosen to receive the samples so he and his team can carry out research on the super rare material. He's just one of seven experts from around the world selected to study the samples. "Nobody in the world had access to China's samples, so this is a great honour and a huge privilege," said professor Mahesh Anand who travelled to China to collect the samples. He returned to the UK with the precious cargo in the safest place he could think of - his hand Mahesh Anand and his team have a year to carry out their research on the dust. During that time, the researchers hope to answer fundamental questions about how the Moon formed and the early years of planet Earth. How was the sample collected? China collected the rocks on its Chang'e 5 space mission back in 2020. A robotic arm drilled into the soil to collect 2kg of material which was then brought back to Earth in a capsule. It was the first successful collection of a lunar sample since a Soviet mission in 1976 and China has now allowed researchers from other countries to find out more about the rare rock. "I very much hope that this is the beginning of a long-term collaboration between China and international scientists," Professor Anand said.
NDTV
09-05-2025
- Science
- NDTV
Indian-Origin Scientist In UK Gets World's First Far-Side Moon Dust From China
A UK-based Indian-origin scientist has received a portion of the world's first lunar soil samples collected from the Moon's far side, courtesy of China's Chang'e-6 mission, according to BBC. This historic achievement marks the first time any nation has retrieved material from the Moon's far side, a region previously unexplored due to communication challenges. According to BBC, Professor Mahesh Anand is the only scientist in the UK to have been loaned this extremely rare material, which he describes as "more precious than gold dust". "Nobody in the world had access to China's samples, so this is a great honour and a huge privilege," he says. After grinding and zapping the dust with lasers, Professor Anand's team hopes to answer fundamental questions about how the Moon formed and about the early years of planet Earth. Inside the grains of dust could be evidence to back up scientists' theory that the Moon was made from the debris thrown out when Earth struck a Mars-sized planet 4.5 billion years ago. China collected the rocks on its Chang'e 5 space mission in 2020 when it landed on a volcanic area called Mons Rumker. A robotic arm drilled into the soil to collect 2kg of material, which was brought back to Earth in a capsule which landed in Inner Mongolia, as per BBC report. The Chang'e-6 mission successfully returned approximately 1.9 kilograms of lunar material in June 2024. These samples are being distributed to international researchers for analysis. Notably, the lunar soil exhibits distinct characteristics compared to previous samples, including a more porous structure and differing mineral compositions, such as higher plagioclase and lower olivine content. This collaboration underscores China's commitment to international scientific cooperation in space exploration. The involvement of an Indian-origin scientist in the UK highlights the global nature of lunar research and the shared pursuit of understanding our celestial neighbour.
