The characteristics of this material can be very interesting
The creation or appearance of new materials is something that always arouses interest. Analyzing what its characteristics may be is something that arouses a certain passion in public opinion, something that we saw with the properties of graphene and that could be repeated thanks to the discovery of a new material on the lunar surface.
The discovery of the Changesite-(Y)
The Beijing Institute of Uranium Geology has made a rather surprising discovery on the Moon: a new phosphate mineral, named Changesite-(Y). This mineral, characterized by its columnar crystal structureis transparent and colorless and has considerable value in providing us with greater knowledge about planetary geology beyond Earth.
Regarding the mineral itself, the article published in Matter and Radiation at Extremes suggests that Changesite-(Y) was formed under extreme conditions of high pressures and temperatures, probably the result of impacts on the lunar surfacesomething that is not crazy if we analyze the lunar surface with the naked eye.
This mineral was discovered by China in December 2020, during its lunar exploration missions. One of the most notable aspects of Changesite-(Y) is its richness in helium-3, a rare isotope on Earth, but of great interest for energy research, especially in the field of nuclear fusion. It is not known to what extent it could have importance of this mineral in itbut a quite interesting perspective opens up if we take into account the nature of helium-3 during this process.
For now, what the discovery of this mineral highlights is the possibility of finding others both on the Moon and on our own planet. Furthermore, analyzing its components can open the door to the development or enhancement of very powerful research projects.
A space race against the USA
The discovery of Changesite-(Y) in China highlights something very peculiar: China’s ability to adapt to new times and launch itself into a space race against its main competitor, the USA. Thus, the Asian Giant has very interesting plans for the Moon, such as the creation of a stable base on it. Of course, among his plans is to launch a missile against the Moon, something that at first sounds particularly strange but could have some very interesting applications.
Summarizing what has been seen above:
- Discovered by the Beijing Institute of Uranium Geology, named Changesite-(Y).
- It is a phosphate mineral with a columnar crystal structure, transparent and colorless.
- Research suggests that it was formed under high pressures and temperatures, possibly due to impacts on the Moon.
- China found this mineral on the Moon in December 2020, highlighting its richness in helium-3.
- The discovery opens the possibility of discovering more unknown materials both on Earth and in space.
- This is an advance that shows the level of strength that China is beginning to have in the space race.
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