The moon is shrinking: 10,000 cracks reveal the scale of contraction

Scientists analyzing Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera images found over 10,000 young faults across the lunar surface. They estimate the moon's radius has shrunk by about 45 meters over the past 400 to 800 million years as its interior cools. The study was published Oct. 14 in The Planetary Science Journal.

• More than 10,000 young faults identified in LROC images
• Moon's radius shrank about 45 meters over 400–800 million years
• Areas with thicker crust are more stable and have fewer cracks
• The moon is a single-plate body, so faults are scattered globally