Moon’s secret core: Stunning find reveals Earth-like structure inside our cosmic neighbor
Produced by: Manoj Kumar
Core revealed
After decades of debate, scientists confirm the moon has a solid iron core—mirroring Earth’s inner structure and reshaping how we understand our nearest neighbor.
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Hidden depths
New data and advanced modeling show the moon’s inner core spans 258 km, surrounded by a molten outer core—solving one of lunar science’s biggest mysteries.
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Iron heart
The moon’s solid core, made of dense iron at 7,822 kg/m³, proves it’s more like Earth than ever imagined, offering clues to their shared cosmic past.
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Magnetic past
This core discovery explains how the moon once had a magnetic field strong enough to rival Earth’s—and why it mysteriously vanished over 3 billion years ago.
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Mantle churn
Evidence supports the “mantle overturn” theory, where heavier materials sank to the core—unveiling how volcanic elements reached the lunar surface long ago.
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Apollo revived
Decades-old Apollo seismic data, once inconclusive, now gains new life as modern tech and gravity analysis confirm what earlier scientists only suspected.
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Twin cores
The moon’s Earth-like layered core—solid inner and molten outer—hints they formed from similar violent beginnings, possibly a giant impact that shaped both worlds.
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Future tests
NASA’s upcoming Artemis missions could deploy new seismometers to probe deeper, testing this breakthrough and perhaps uncovering more lunar secrets.
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Lunar legacy
Understanding the moon’s core evolution helps scientists piece together the early solar system’s history—and may shape future lunar colonization plans.
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