Scientists may have solved the mystery of how the moon was magnetized

New research explains why the Moon's crust is magnetized by debunking one long-standing theory.

Credit: Science Advances, doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abb1475
  • Researchers used advanced computer simulations to study the effect of meteoroid impacts on the Moon's surface.
  • The study shows that such impacts were unlikely to cause the magnetization observed in the lunar crust.
  • An ancient core dynamo is the most likely explanation for the Moon's magnetic field from about 4 billion years ago.
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    Urban planning in space: 3 off-world designs for future cities

    The future of cities on the Moon, Mars and orbital habitats.

    Wikimedia Commons | Source: NASA Ames Research Centre
    • In the 1970s NASA published an extensive book on urban planning in space.
    • Acclaimed architectural and engineering firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) designed a conceptual plan for the first permanent settlement for human life on the moon.
    • An MIT team developed a concept for the first sustainable cities on Mars to be built in the next century.
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    Scientists blow away sticky moon dust with electrons

    Dust sticking to things on the moon is a serious problem researchers are trying to solve.

    Credit: NASA
  • Jagged, abrasive lunar dust can damage spacesuits and equipment.
  • The electrically charged dust particles grab onto surfaces like a sock just out of the dryer.
  • Scientists are exploring ways of blowing away lunar dust using beams of electrons.
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    NASA scientists propose sending a submarine to explore Titan's seas

    The mission could launch as soon as the 2030s, the researchers said.

    NASA Glenn Research Center
    • A team of scientists have been developing a proposal that would send a semi-autonomous submarine to explore the seas of Titan, Saturn's largest moon.
    • Titan is the only body in our solar system that has large bodies of liquid on its surface.
    • It's also a top candidate in the search for alien life.
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    NASA bounces laser beams off of Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

    After a decade of failed attempts, scientists successfully bounced photons off of a reflector aboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, some 240,000 miles from Earth.

    NASA
    • Laser experiments can reveal precisely how far away an object is from Earth.
    • For years scientists have been bouncing light off of reflectors on the lunar surface that were installed during the Apollo era, but these reflectors have become less efficient over time.
    • The recent success could reveal the cause of the degradation, and also lead to new discoveries about the Moon's evolution.
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