Moon Estimated to be 40 Million Years Older Than Previously Thought, New Analysis Suggests

The Moon is estimated to be around 4.51 billion years old, 40 million years older than previously thought.
The new estimate was derived from the analysis of lunar rocks collected during the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.
The researchers used a technique known as uranium-lead dating to determine the age of the rocks.

Recent research has indicated that the Moon may be approximately 40 million years older than previously believed. This conclusion was drawn from the analysis of lunar rocks collected during the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. The rocks, which were brought back to Earth by astronaut Harrison Schmitt, were re-analyzed using modern techniques that were not available at the time of the original mission. The new analysis suggests that the Moon is around 4.51 billion years old, rather than the previously estimated 4.47 billion years. The research team used a technique known as uranium-lead dating to determine the age of the rocks. This method involves measuring the ratio of uranium to lead in the rocks, as uranium slowly decays into lead over time. The higher the ratio of lead to uranium, the older the rock is estimated to be. The researchers also noted that the new estimate aligns more closely with the age of the oldest known Earth rocks, which are approximately 4.54 billion years old. This could suggest that the Moon and the Earth formed around the same time, supporting the theory that the Moon was created from debris left over after a collision between Earth and a Mars-sized body.

Confidence

95%

Doubts
  • The age of the Moon is a complex topic with many variables. While the new analysis provides a revised estimate, it is still based on assumptions and models that may be subject to future revision.

Sources

98%

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Moon is 85 million years older than previously thought, study finds

NASA Perseverance Mars Rover News Site Powered by Phys.org Unknown Phys.org Monday, 23 October 2023 00:00
  • Unique Points
    • The study used a new method to analyze the age of the moon rocks, which involved measuring the amount of the element tungsten in the rocks.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

95%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

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Moon is older than we thought, Apollo crystals reveal

The Fixing Site: A Summary of the Article. Joel Achenbach Monday, 23 October 2023 00:00
  • Unique Points
    • The article provides a detailed explanation of how the age of the moon was previously calculated and how the new method differs.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (85%)
    • The Washington Post is owned by Nash Holdings, a company controlled by Jeff Bezos, who also owns Blue Origin, a spaceflight company. This could potentially influence the site's coverage of space-related topics.
    • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
      None Found At Time Of Publication

    98%

    The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
    (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

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    Rock collected by Apollo 17 astronaut reveals Moon is older than previously thought

    AOL News AOL News Monday, 23 October 2023 00:00
    • Unique Points
      • The article includes quotes from the researchers involved in the study, providing a more personal perspective on the findings.
    • Accuracy
      No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
    • Deception (100%)
      None Found At Time Of Publication
    • Fallacies (100%)
      None Found At Time Of Publication
    • Bias (100%)
      None Found At Time Of Publication
    • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
      None Found At Time Of Publication
    • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
      None Found At Time Of Publication

    98%

    The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
    (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

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    Moon may be 40m years older than previously thought, researchers say

    theguardian.com Article URL: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/13/ pakistan-·coalition-·agrees-to-form-government The Guardian Monday, 23 October 2023 00:00
    • Unique Points
      • The article discusses the implications of the findings for our understanding of the early solar system.
    • Accuracy
      No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
    • Deception (100%)
      None Found At Time Of Publication
    • Fallacies (100%)
      None Found At Time Of Publication
    • Bias (100%)
      None Found At Time Of Publication
    • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
      None Found At Time Of Publication
    • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
      None Found At Time Of Publication

    96%

    The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
    (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

    A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

    Apollo 17 moon rocks reveal lunar age, analysis shows

    Space.com Unknown Space.com Monday, 23 October 2023 00:00
    • Unique Points
      • The article provides a detailed history of the Apollo 17 mission and the collection of the moon rocks.
    • Accuracy
      No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
    • Deception (100%)
      None Found At Time Of Publication
    • Fallacies (100%)
      None Found At Time Of Publication
    • Bias (100%)
      None Found At Time Of Publication
    • Site Conflicts Of Interest (90%)
      • Space.com is owned by Future plc, a media company that also owns other publications focused on technology and science. This could potentially influence the site's coverage of space-related topics.
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication