Chinese Spacecraft Retrieves First-Ever Sample from Moon's Far Side

China's Chang'e-6 spacecraft made history in June by retrieving the first sample from the far side of the Moon, which is usually facing away from Earth. That material is now providing insight into the geological history, including the oldest evidence of lunar volcanism.

On Friday, researchers reported that this rock sample had crucial information on the Moon's volcanic activities around four billion years ago. Scientists seek to know more about how the Moon evolved, what forms of magma exist, and how volcanic eruptions alter its surface.

"The Chang'e-6 samples provide a unique opportunity to study far-side volcanism," said lunar scientist Qiu-Li Li of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who helped lead the study in the journal Nature, one of two published on Friday detailing the finding, the other the Journal Science.

Li said that the Chang'e-6 samples also differ in composition compared with previously collected lunar samples from the near side.

Currently, in contrast to Earth and Venus, the Moon shows no signs of active volcanism.

Furthermore, Li stated that the latest data suggest volcanic eruptions on the lunar far side dating back over a billion years. Future research will investigate how the activity lasted so long.