China's latest breakthrough in lunar sample research has been made possible by one of the most advanced scientific instruments in geoscience—the secondary ion mass spectrometer, commonly known as the ion probe.
This state-of-the-art device has been instrumental in analyzing samples collected from the far side of the moon by the country's Chang'e-6 lunar probe mission, revealing new insights into the moon's origin and evolution.
A joint research team organized by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) conducted a study of the lunar samples with the help of the ion probe, verifying the hypothesis that the moon was entirely covered by a molten "magma ocean" in the early stages after its birth.
Boasting unparalleled accuracy, the instrument revealed that the basalt present in the Chang'e-6 samples can be dated back 2.8 billion years.
The sophisticated device operates by bombarding a sample's surface with a high-energy primary ion beam, generating secondary ions. These charged particles pass through a mass analyzer before reaching the detector, enabling precise analysis of the sample's surface composition.
"This instrument, called the ion probe, is the most critical tool in our study of the Chang'e-6 samples. It enables micron-scale sample analysis and can detect nearly all elements in the periodic table. We are currently calibrating the instrument, and the ion beam diameter being displayed is in the tens of microns—roughly one-third the width of a single human hair," said Long Tao, a researcher with the Institute of Geology under the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences.
The ion probe's applications extend beyond space studies to fields such as biology, life sciences, and semiconductor research, according to Long.
"With the development of our new instrument, we hope to use it for studying samples from Chang'e-5, Chang'e-6, and asteroids to investigate the impact history within the solar system. This research could also provide clues about Earth's evolution during the same period," he said.
China's cutting-edge ion probe plays key role in lunar sample analysis
The U.S. embargo against Cuba is violating fundamental rights and worsening shortages of food and medicine, Aleida Guevara, daughter of revolutionary leader Ernesto "Che" Guevara, said Monday in an interview.
Her comments came on the sidelines of an international solidarity conference in Berlin, where activists warned that the United States' decades-long blockade has shifted from a political tool to a humanitarian crisis, cutting off basic supplies and isolating Cuba from global trade.
"The blockade is one of the worst things that a country can experience, causing years of severe suffering for the Cuban people. The embargo should not affect food and medicine, but it hit those basic needs first -- food and medicine for the people. So for many years, we have faced constant shortages of supplies," she said.
Guevara, a pediatrician at a Havana children’s hospital, said U.S. sanctions prevent pharmaceutical companies from selling medicines to Cuba, directly harming public health. She added that Washington’s measures, imposed in the name of democracy and human rights, have instead created a humanitarian crisis.
"It is unacceptable that the U.S. is trying to prevent other countries in the world from engaging in free trade with Cuba. This is damaging every aspect of our lives. People's lives are affected. Food, medicine, and transportation -- everything is impacted," she said.
The embargo dates back more than half a century. Rooted in the Trading with the Enemy Act of World War I, it was formally codified when President John F. Kennedy signed an executive order in 1962, launching an economic, commercial and financial blockade that has survived 11 successive U.S. administrations.
Today, Cuba is enduring one of its worst economic crises since the 1990s. The island has suffered three nationwide blackouts in March, while gasoline shortages have crippled hospitals, slashed public transport, and strained essential services. Since January, the Trump administration has imposed new oil restrictions and repeatedly issued military threats, further tightening pressure on Havana.
Aleida Guevara’s comments carry symbolic weight given her father’s legacy. Born in Argentina in 1928, Ernesto "Che" Guevara trained as a doctor before joining Fidel Castro’s insurgency in 1956 to overthrow Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista. After playing a leading role in the rebel victory, he left Cuba to pursue revolutionary struggles abroad, eventually being killed in Bolivia in 1967.
Guevara's daughter warns US embargo deepening Cuba’s humanitarian crisis
Guevara's daughter warns US embargo deepening Cuba’s humanitarian crisis
