If the water on the moon has an endogenous component, it will become the key to solving the mystery of the origin of the moon and the earth.
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Text/Zhang Tiankan (columnist) Editor Li Xiaoxiao Chi Daohua Proofreader Wei Zhuo
▲ Photos of the lunar surface taken by the Chang'e-5 lander. Photo: Website of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
Confirmed, there is water on the moon.
This is the conclusion reached by the planetary science team of the Institute of Geology and Earth Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in a paper published in Science Progress. The researchers used the Chang'e-5 probe to find that there is a trace amount of water in the lunar soil and lunar rock, which is a major discovery of human in situ exploration of the moon, and also allows the controversy over whether there is water on the moon to settle. The results of this study are also corroborated by previous NASA research.
The first thing that comes to mind about water on the moon is whether it can be used, and the main thing is to drink it, because it can fulfill the dream of future human colonization of the moon. However, this is only a concrete and practical understanding of the moon. In fact, the new discovery of any celestial body, including the moon, can theoretically constitute a new abstract understanding of human beings, that is, the origin of the universe, the origin of the earth and the moon, the origin of man and life, and the exploration and cognition of what kind of future mankind will lead to.
On November 13, 2009, NASA announced that its scientists confirmed the presence of water on the moon after preliminary analysis of lunar crater observation and sensing satellites. Figure/IC photo
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The source of the water still needs to be explored
Although the study by the Chinese Academy of Sciences confirms that the moon has water, the source of the water is not clear, but only proposes three possibilities or hypotheses: the water on the lunar surface is blown by the solar wind; the water on the lunar surface is produced by comet impacts; and the lunar rocks themselves contain water.
It is worth noting that researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences determined from the detection and analysis results of Chang'e 5 that most of the water in the lunar soil is contributed by the solar wind, and most of the water in the lunar rock should be there before the magma solidified. This also means that the water on the moon is divided into two parts: endogenous and exogenous.
If the water on the moon has an endogenous component, it will become the key to solving the mystery of the origin of the moon and the earth.
There are many hypotheses about the origin of the moon, and the theory of impact causes is currently more commonly recognized. This hypothesis is that the proto-Earth was struck by a Martian-sized object (the proto-moon) in the early days, and the impact debris eventually formed the moon. The study of the Chinese Academy of Sciences shows that the water in the lunar rock on the moon is endogenous and self-contained, which may become evidence of the impact genesis theory.
With water on the Moon, it is possible to evolve life. Of course, even if there is life on the moon, it may be the coexistence of multiple life forms, or different from human beings and life forms on Earth, which requires further exploration.
However, researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences have proposed that most of the water on the moon is "blown" by the solar wind, which also means that this water is not enough for humans and living things on the moon. However, if there is life on the moon, it may be life that does not depend on water.
▲ "Chang'e 5" reveals the lunar surface water content of the landing area. Photo/Screenshot of CCTV News
How far is the "Colonization Moon"?
According to estimates, the water content on the lunar surface is negligible. There are only 180 grams of water in 1 ton of lunar rock. Obviously, the water currently discovered is neither available to people nor for plant growth. Of course, in the future, if a large amount of water can be found in the lunar soil, such water may be available for human drinking, but it must be filtered, cleaned, and purified to meet the standard of drinking water on the earth.
The most immediate problem with finding water on the moon is, can we live on the moon for a long time in the future?
At present, although the moon has water and can be supplied to a small number of people to drink, the moon is not suitable for long-term human habitation, because other conditions of the moon restrict human habitation, such as temperature.
The lunar surface can reach temperatures as high as 160 degrees Celsius during the day and as low as minus 180 degrees Celsius at night. Without heat- and cold-resistant clothing or air-conditioning equipment, it is impossible for people to survive in such a harsh environment. At the same time, under such conditions, the liquid water on the lunar surface will evaporate and will not be available to humans. There is no oxygen on the moon, and it is impossible to produce the food that humans need, so the colonization of the moon is only a hypothesis.
But discovering that the moon has water has broadened our understanding of the moon and allowed humans to make better use of the moon and other planets.