Beijing: Chinese researchers have, for the first time, discovered traces of "iron rust" in lunar soils retrieved by the Chang'e-6 mission, formed by large-scale impact events. The team identified micrometer-scale crystalline Fe2O3 in the forms of hematite and maghemite within these lunar soils.

According to Anadolu Agency, this discovery demonstrates the presence of a lunar oxidation reaction mechanism and provides evidence for the impact origin of the magnetic anomaly surrounding the South Pole-Aitken Basin. The findings have been published in the international multidisciplinary journal, Science Advances.

These findings are expected to provide significant scientific evidence for future lunar science research, enhancing the understanding of the moon's evolutionary history.