Chang'e 6 moon samples reveal new insights into provenance of lunar water: scientist

A recent study on meteorite relics identified by researchers in the lunar samples brought back by China's Chang'e-6 may fundamentally reshaped the debate on where the moon's water originates, according to a scientist at the institute that oversaw the research.

The study, published in the latest issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was led by a research team from the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry (GIG) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Using advanced techniques to examine mineral composition and oxygen isotopes, the researchers scrutinized lunar soil and confirmed that the fragments came from CI-like chondrites -- a type of meteorite rich in water and organic materials that typically originates in the outer Solar System.

This discovery not only indicates that material from the outer Solar System can migrate to the inner Solar System, but also has important implications for explaining the origin of water on the lunar surface, said Lin Mang, a researcher at GIG.

"There are many hypotheses about the origin of the water on the moon. Some say it was generated on the moon, some say it came from the sun, and some say it came from cometary meteorites. The meteorites that we identified are rich in water, but previously we thought the percentage of such meteorites was very small on the moon. The discovery of numerous such meteorites suggests their contribution to the lunar water was underestimated. Further research is needed to quantify the true extent of water brought to the moon by these meteorites," Lin said.

In 2024, Chang'e-6 made history by bringing 1,935.3 grams of lunar far-side samples back to Earth. These samples were collected from the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) Basin, the largest, deepest, and oldest basin on the moon.

Chang'e 6 moon samples reveal new insights into provenance of lunar water: scientist

A wildfire that engulfed part of a forest in Shantou City of south China's Guangdong Province on Sunday has been extinguished after 17 hours of concerted efforts by multiple departments including emergency response, firefighting and public security units.

Villagers living at the foot of Xianglu Mountain were the first to notice the fire erupting on its slopes.

"It looked far away and I thought it was just someone burning garbage," recalled one villager.

Upon discovering the fire, local authorities immediately organized personnel to combat the flames, with mobilization of over 200 rescuers from surrounding areas to assist in the firefighting efforts.

"We were divided into two to three groups, with one conducting regular firefighting and another using water pumps to extinguish the fire," said one rescuer.

Given the rapid spread of the fire, local officials also called in aerial support with helicopters to aid in extinguishing the blaze. Furthermore, many personnel organized by local grassroots departments were actively involved in the firefighting efforts.

By 06:00 on Monday, the wildfire was finally extinguished without causing any casualties. The dry climate in winter increases the risk of forest fire in the region. However, the cause of the forest fire is still under investigation.

Wildfire extinguished in south China's Guangdong after 17 hours of efforts