Forget the Cheese: The Moon Was Once a Very Dangerous Place

A new study from China's Yutu-2 moon rover reveals how intense volcanic eruptions once poured across the moon's surface.

By Matt Hrodey
Aug 25, 2023 6:00 PM
The Yutu 2 rover on the surface of the moon
The Yutu 2 rover on the surface of the moon. (Credit: Xinhua)

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Billions of years ago, the quiet moon we know today was once a wild and violent place washed by volcanic eruptions, according to new data from the Chinese Yutu-2 rover.

After gamely setting down on the dark side of the moon in January 2019, the rover took thousands of readings of underground structures using its ground-penetrating radar – and this new paper is based on three years of reporting.

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