A team of researchers from Brown University and Washington University in St. Louis has finally unlocked the secrets of tiny, bright orange glass beads found on the moon’s surface. These beads, formed around 3.5 billion years ago during lunar volcanic eruptions, are among the most amazing extraterrestrial samples ever collected.
Using advanced microscopic analysis techniques, led by Thomas Williams and Stephen Parman from Brown University, and associate professor Ryan Ogliore from Washington University in St. Louis, scientists have been able to study the glass beads up close for the first time in 50 years.
The investigation relied on cutting-edge instruments such as the NanoSIMS 50, an ion beam device that breaks apart small samples of material, and other techniques like atom probe tomography and scanning electron microscopy. The researchers combined their findings from various institutions to gain a deeper understanding of the lunar beads’ surface composition.
Each glass bead tells its own story of the moon’s past, with colors, shapes, and chemical compositions unlike anything found on Earth. Scientists believe that these beads formed when lunar volcanoes shot material from the interior to the surface, solidifying instantly in the cold vacuum surrounding the moon.
The study has provided valuable insights into the pressure, temperature, and chemical environment of ancient lunar eruptions. By analyzing minerals and isotopic composition on the bead surfaces, researchers have found evidence that volcanic eruption styles changed over time. This discovery offers a unique glimpse into the history of the moon’s volcanic past.
More information about this research can be found in the publication “Lunar volcanic gas cloud chemistry: Constraints from glass bead surface sublimates” (2025) in Icarus, published by Washington University in St. Louis.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2025-06-moon-shimmers-shiny-glass-beads.html