【人民日报】月壤“时间胶囊”揭开撞击真相

Core Findings - The research team from the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, has determined that the Apollo Basin, located within the South Pole-Aitken Basin, formed 4.16 billion years ago, pushing back the start of the late heavy bombardment period by at least 100 million years [1][2] - This finding contradicts the traditional hypothesis of a sudden increase in impact intensity during the late heavy bombardment, providing a clearer understanding of the early solar system's tumultuous history [1][2] Research Methodology - The team analyzed a 3.5-gram lunar soil sample from the Chang'e 6 mission, identifying three small rock fragments (150-350 micrometers) that formed under high temperatures during the basin's creation, acting as a "time capsule" [2] - By accurately dating these fragments and integrating remote sensing images and geochemical data, the researchers confirmed the age of the Apollo Basin as 4.16 billion years, resolving the "rock clock" mystery [2] Implications of Findings - The precise age of the Apollo Basin serves as a critical anchor point for understanding the impact history of the solar system, allowing scientists to reconstruct a more complete narrative of solar system dynamics [2] - This discovery also sheds light on Earth's early history, suggesting that as a planet closer to the Sun, Earth may have experienced more intense bombardment, potentially influencing the origin and evolution of life [2][3]