<ul data-eligibleForWebStory="false"><li>A 2.35-billion-year-old meteorite found in northwest Africa, known as NWA 16286, has a unique chemical signature that could fill a significant gap in understanding the Moon's volcanic history.</li><li>Lead isotope analysis indicates that the fragment is around 2.35 billion years old, making it the youngest of the 31 lunar meteorites composed of basalt found on Earth, and it reveals a billion-year gap in lunar volcanic history.</li><li>The rock's chemistry suggests it formed from a lava flow that solidified after emerging from the Moon's interior, indicating continued volcanic activity on the Moon during this period.</li><li>The discovery of NWA 16286 provides valuable insights into the Moon's geological past and may guide future sample return missions to further explore the Moon's surface.</li></ul>

Moon meteorite fills 1-billion-year gap in knowledge

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