We had theories about the origin of the moon. Samples taken by China’s satellite cast doubt on them

• Samples returned to Earth by China’s Chang’e-5 probe prove the existence of pure carbon on the Moon

• The hypothesis that saves the theory of the formation of the Moon is that this material was formed from the solar wind.

The soil samples China brought back from the Moon in 2020 continue to make headlines, even though China has had time to return to the Moon and bring back more lunar samples in the four years since.

Graphene on the Moon. A team of Chinese scientists has discovered graphene, a form of pure carbon, in a tiny fragment of lunar soil retrieved from a volcanic region of the moon by China’s Chang’e-5 probe in December 2020.

The team used advanced spectroscopy techniques to study the rice-grain-sized sample. The discovery is significant because it challenges the most widely accepted theory of the moon’s origins, the Great Impact theory, which is based in part on the lack of carbon and other volatile elements on the moon.

Origin of the satellite. The most widely accepted theory of the Moon’s origin is that it formed after the Earth collided with a smaller hypothetical planet called Theia.

The impact scattered vaporized material around the Earth, forming a ring of debris that eventually came together under gravity to form the Moon.

Until now, the Great Impact theory has always been supported by the moon’s low carbon content, since the collision between Theia and Earth should have produced extremely high temperatures capable of vaporizing volatile elements such as carbon.

Surprise: There is carbon on the Moon. And it’s made up of several thin, super-strong layers of graphene. How can this be explained? A non-peer-reviewed study published by the National Science Review offers several possibilities.

It could be due to the interaction of carbon-laden solar wind with iron-rich volcanic soil. Perhaps the moon has its own carbon-capture process and deposits it on its surface. Or maybe it’s something simpler, like graphene formed by a meteorite impact.

A profitable opening. Regardless, this discovery is important not only for understanding the history of the Moon, but also for its practical applications here on Earth.

Researchers believe that studying how graphene forms on the moon could help us develop cheaper, more scalable methods for producing high-quality graphene. This would be a game-changer for several industries.

Image | Wei Zhang et al., CNSA

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