For decades, scientists have debated what’s beneath the Moon’s dusty surface. Now, new research has delivered some of the clearest evidence yet of what’s inside the Moon.
Using data from lunar laser-ranging experiments and various space missions, a team of researchers built a detailed model of the Moon’s internal makeup. Their findings point to a layered structure, with a molten outer core surrounding a solid inner core. This inner core appears to be as dense as iron, strongly suggesting that the Moon’s center is a metallic ball rather than a liquid blob or fully solid sphere.
This discovery helps resolve a long-standing scientific puzzle. Previous studies, including Apollo-era seismic data, hinted at a complex core, but the resolution wasn’t clear enough to settle the debate. With this new research, though, scientists have a clearer picture of what’s inside the moon, and it supports the idea that the Moon once had a dynamic interior capable of generating a magnetic field.
That early magnetic field, which vanished around 3.2 billion years ago, may have been created by motion in the Moon’s molten layers. The new findings also lend weight to the theory of “mantle overturn,” where denser material inside the Moon sinks while lighter material rises. This could explain why some elements appear in volcanic regions on the surface.
These results also validate earlier estimates made in 2011, offering a rare moment of scientific confirmation across independent studies. Both found similar core dimensions and density, pointing to a shared structure between Earth and its satellite.
Knowing what’s inside the Moon is vital for understanding how the Moon formed, evolved, and how it might behave in the future. With possible human missions planned to the Moon in the coming years, seismic instruments and advanced sensors could soon provide even more detailed measurements to support these findings.
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