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New Evidence Shows Some Moon Surfaces Are Younger Than Originally Thought

One of many newly-discovered young volcanic deposits on the Moon, this example is near the crater Maskelyne. The direction of sunlight is from the right and north is up.
(NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University)
One of many newly-discovered young volcanic deposits on the Moon, this example is near the crater Maskelyne. The direction of sunlight is from the right and north is up.

Some features on the surface of the moon may be younger than previously thought. A group of geologists at ASU found evidence of small eruptions on the lunar surface over the last 50 million years. And yes, in lunar science, that’s relatively young.

The findings are published in the journal “Nature Geoscience.” Sarah Braden, the paper’s lead author, said she and her colleagues looked at features that didn’t look like anything else on the moon’s surface and wanted to figure out how and when they formed.

Mark Brodie is a co-host of The Show, KJZZ’s locally produced news magazine. Since starting at KJZZ in 2002, Brodie has been a host, reporter and producer, including several years covering the Arizona Legislature, based at the Capitol.