Current:Home > MarketsScientists discover underground cave on the moon that could shelter astronauts on future trips to space -LegacyBuild Academy
Scientists discover underground cave on the moon that could shelter astronauts on future trips to space
View
Date:2025-04-12 10:48:23
Scientists have confirmed a cave on the moon, not far from where Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed 55 years ago, and suspect there are hundreds more that could house future astronauts.
An Italian-led team reported Monday that there's evidence for a sizable cave accessible from the deepest known pit on the moon. It's located at the Sea of Tranquility, just 250 miles (400 kilometers) from Apollo 11's landing site.
The pit, like the more than 200 others discovered up there, was created by the collapse of a lava tube.
Researchers analyzed radar measurements by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, and compared the results with lava tubes on Earth. Their findings appeared in the journal Nature Astronomy.
The radar data reveals only the initial part of the underground cavity, according to the scientists. They estimate it's at least 130 feet (40 meters) wide and tens of yards (meters) long, probably more.
"Lunar caves have remained a mystery for over 50 years. So it was exciting to be able to finally prove the existence" of one, Leonardo Carrer and Lorenzo Bruzzone of the University of Trento, wrote in an email to the Associated Press.
During NASA's Apollo program, 12 astronauts landed on the moon, beginning with Armstrong and Aldrin on July 20, 1969.
The findings suggest there could be hundreds of pits on the moon and thousands of lava tubes.
The Nature study said that the cave could be a "promising site for a lunar base, as it offers shelter from the harsh surface environment and could support long-term human exploration of the Moon."
However, building habitats from scratch would be more time-consuming and challenging, even when factoring in the potential need of reinforcing the cave walls to prevent a collapse, the team of researchers said.
British astronaut Helen Sharman told CBS partner BBC News that humans could shelter in lunar pits like this one in 20 to 30 years, but that they may need "jet packs or a lift" to get out due to the depth of the cave.
Rocks and other material inside these caves — unaltered by the harsh surface conditions over the eons — also can help scientists better understand how the moon evolved, especially involving its volcanic activity
Scientists around the world are constantly adding to the archive of moon research. Just weeks ago, China's Chang'e 6 lunar probe returned to Earth after collecting rock and soil samples from the moon's surface. Chinese scientists hope that findings will shed light on differences between two sides of the moon, which have unique geographical features.
- In:
- lunar
- BBC
- Moon
- Space
- NASA
veryGood! (4)
Related
- McConnell absent from Senate on Thursday as he recovers from fall in Capitol
- California law cracking down on election deepfakes by AI to be tested
- 'The Golden Bachelorette' cast: Meet the 24 men looking to charm Joan Vassos
- Endangered sea corals moved from South Florida to the Texas Gulf Coast for research and restoration
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
- Florence Pugh Addresses Nasty Comments About Her Weight
- Why Sean Diddy Combs No Longer Has to Pay $100 Million in Sexual Assault Case
- See Jamie Lynn Spears' Teen Daughter Maddie Watson All Dressed Up for Homecoming Court
- Pressure on a veteran and senator shows what’s next for those who oppose Trump
- Connecticut aquarium pays over $12K to settle beluga care investigation
Ranking
- New Mexico governor seeks funding to recycle fracking water, expand preschool, treat mental health
- Why Sean Diddy Combs No Longer Has to Pay $100 Million in Sexual Assault Case
- Are remote workers really working all day? No. Here's what they're doing instead.
- Air Force to deploy Osprey aircraft in weeks following review over deadly crash
- The Super Bowl could end in a 'three
- Houston officer shot responding to home invasion call; 3 arrested: Police
- North Carolina’s highest court hears challenge to law allowing more time for child sex abuse suits
- Demolition to begin on long-troubled St. Louis jail
Recommendation
From family road trips to travel woes: Americans are navigating skyrocketing holiday costs
80-year-old man found dead after driving around roadblock into high water
Step Inside Jennifer Aniston's Multi-Million Dollar Home in Inside Look at Emmys Prep
Raven-Symoné Says Demi Lovato Was Not the Nicest on Sonny with a Chance—But Doesn't Hold It Against Her
B.A. Parker is learning the banjo
The Daily Money: Will the Fed go big or small?
Family of man found dead with a rope around neck demands answers; sheriff says no foul play detected
Officials identify 2 men killed in Idaho gas station explosion