Chang’e-6 lunar samples reveal a giant impact reshaped the Moon’s interior

Chang'e-6 lunar samples from the Moon's largest impact crater, the South Pole-Aitken Basin, contain unusually heavy potassium isotopes that reveal how the ancient collision fundamentally reshaped the Moon's deep interior. The giant impact caused massive potassium evaporation and volatile element loss that reduced volcanic activity on the far side, demonstrating how colossal asteroid strikes can permanently alter planetary interiors.