Earth has been feeding the moon for billions of years

Earth's magnetic field has been transporting atmospheric particles to the moon for billions of years, contrary to previous beliefs that the magnetic shield would block such transfers. University of Rochester researchers used computer simulations showing that solar wind knocks charged particles from Earth's upper atmosphere, which then follow magnetic field lines to the moon's orbit. This process explains the unexpectedly high levels of nitrogen and volatiles found in lunar soil samples from Apollo missions, suggesting the moon preserves a chemical record of Earth's atmospheric history and contains resources that could support future human exploration.