New Study Proposes Earth's Moon Is 100 Million Years Older Than Previously Thought

Research suggests a global remelting event reset the apparent age of lunar rocks, offering new insights into the moon's formation and early history.

Scientists now estimate the moon formed between 4.43 and 4.53 billion years ago, potentially 100 million years earlier than prior calculations.
The study, published in Nature, attributes the discrepancy to a remelting event caused by tidal heating from Earth's gravitational pull 4.35 billion years ago.
This heating event likely melted the moon's surface, resetting the apparent age of its rocks and erasing evidence of earlier impact basins.
The findings suggest the early moon may have resembled Jupiter's volcanic moon Io, with widespread volcanic activity due to intense tidal forces.
Researchers emphasize the need for further data from upcoming lunar missions to refine models and deepen understanding of the moon's role in solar system history.