Old rocks, new science: What the moon is still teaching us
In September 1969, Washington University in St. Louis scientists were among the first to receive samples collected from the historic Apollo 11 moon mission. At this year’s Lunar and Planetary Science Convention, a student, a faculty member and an alum remind us of the value of these samples and share cutting edge research on decades-old rocks.
Forty-year-old Apollo 17 samples help date lunar impacts
It’s been more than 40 years since astronauts returned
the last Apollo samples from the moon, and since then those samples have
undergone some of the most extensive and comprehensive analysis of any
geological collection. A team of scientists has now
refined the timeline of meteorite impacts on the moon through a
pioneering application of laser microprobe technology to Apollo 17
samples.