Science News and Headlines

What the Moon Rocks Were Hiding

Oxford researchers have linked the magnetic strength of Apollo Moon rocks to their titanium content, revealing that only titanium‑rich basalts recorded intense magnetic fields. The study shows the Moon’s magnetic history was dominated by a weak field, punctuated by brief, powerful dynamo episodes lasting up to 5,000 years. This resolves the long‑standing paradox between sample magnetisation and theoretical core size. The findings also expose a sampling bias in the Apollo missions, which focused on titanium‑rich mare regions, and set a clear target for Artemis‑era exploration.