When Apollo astronauts visited the Moon, they expected to find grey rocks and dust. Instead, they discovered tiny, brilliant orange glass beads scattered across the surface. These beads are ancient time capsules from volcanic eruptions that occurred 3.3-3.6 billion years ago.
The beads formed when lunar volcanoes shot material into space, where it solidified instantly in the cold vacuum surrounding the Moon. Due to the lack of atmosphere and weathering, these tiny glass spheres have remained pristine for over three billion years.
Researchers have finally been able to study the beads using advanced microscopic techniques. The team used high-energy ion beams and electron microscopy to analyse the beads without damaging them. They found that different coloured beads revealed information about different types of eruptions, providing insights into the Moon’s volcanic story.
The minerals and isotopic composition of the bead surfaces serve as probes into the different pressure, temperature, and chemical environment of lunar eruptions 3.5 billion years ago. Scientists discovered that the style of volcanic activity changed over time, revealing how the Moon’s interior evolved.
These glass beads remind us that the Moon was once a geologically active place with explosive volcanoes creating microscopic windows into its history. Studying these ancient relics provides modern science with a unique understanding of the Moon’s past and its evolution as our Solar System grew older.
Source: https://www.universetoday.com/articles/the-moon-is-covered-in-tiny-orange-glass-beads-now-we-know-why