Moon Sheds Light on Earth's Impact History

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    ID: 13136 Produced Video

    Moon Craters a Window to Earth's Past

    July 22nd, 2019
    (updated May 3rd, 2023)

    Studying asteroid impacts on the Moon uncovers Earth’s past. || By looking at the Moon a group of scientists is challenging our understanding of a part of Earth’s history. On Earth, asteroid impacts increased by two to three times starting around 290 million years ago. For decades many experts assumed that early Earth craters have been worn away by wind, storms, and other geologic processes. This idea explained why Earth has fewer older craters than expected compared to other bodies in the solar system, but it made it difficult to find an accurate impact rate and to determine whether it had changed over time. But by studying data on Moon craters from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, scientists found the Moon and Earth have historically shared a similar rate of asteroid impacts. The surface of the Moon is riddled with both ancient craters mostly undisturbed by erosion and craters from modern day impacts making it the most complete and accessible chronicle of the asteroid collisions that carved our young solar system – and collisions really did speed up 290 million years ago. Out in the universe, this should allow astronomers to better understand how celestial bodies experience asteroids impacts. At home on Earth, this revelation may have implications on the origin of life. Watch the video to learn more. ||

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  • 
    ID: 13144 Produced Video

    Moon Sheds Light on Earth's Impact History

    Feb. 7th, 2019
    (updated May 3rd, 2023)

    By analyzing data on lunar craters provided by the Diviner instrument aboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, scientists have made a fascinating discovery about the history of impacts on both the Earth and the Moon.Music Provided by Killer Tracks: “The Starting Squad” - David Corboy & Guido CastilloWatch this video on the NASA.gov Video YouTube channel. || By looking at the Moon, the most complete and accessible chronicle of the asteroid collisions that carved our young solar system, a group of scientists is challenging our understanding of a part of Earth’s history.The number of asteroid impacts to the Moon and Earth increased by two to three times starting around 290 million years ago, researchers reported in a January 18 paper in the journal Science.They could tell by creating the first comprehensive timeline of large craters on the Moon formed in the last billion years by using images and thermal data collected by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). When the scientists compared those to the timeline of Earth’s craters, they found the two bodies had recorded the same history of asteroid bombardment—one that contradicts theories about Earth’s impact rate. ||

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