The Moon’s far side is overturning a long-held theory, revealing that the early Solar System’s asteroid assault may have faded slowly instead of exploding in one catastrophic burst. For decades, scientists have debated whether the early Solar System endured one sudden, catastrophic wave of asteroid strikes or a much longer period of gradually fading violence. Rocks collected from the Moon’s far side are now strengthening the case for the second possibility. “By analyzing these ancient rocks, we can better understand when major asteroid impacts occurred and how the early Solar System evolved. “The findings come amid a new era of lunar exploration and science, with China’s Chang’e-6 mission being the first to return samples from the Moon’s far side.”