The Moon is slowly shrinking after billions of years... Scientists explain the causes and future impacts

Scientific studies indicate that the Moon continues to shrink gradually as a result of the ongoing cooling of its interior since its formation approximately 4.5 billion years ago, a natural phenomenon that has prompted researchers to study its effects on the lunar surface and the future of its exploration.

According to the Russian news agency TASS, citing astronomer Evgeny Bormistrov from Perm National Research Technical University, the Moon’s diameter has decreased by about 50 meters over the past hundreds of millions of years. This shrinkage is due to the gradual loss of heat from its interior, which causes its internal structure to contract.

Because the Moon lacks tectonic plates like those on Earth, its rigid and brittle crust responds to this contraction through fractures and folds that form on its surface, potentially accompanied by seismic activity with magnitudes reaching approximately 5.5.

The expert clarified that this phenomenon does not affect the Moon’s mass or its gravitational influence on Earth, and therefore poses no threat to our planet. On the other hand, lunar earthquakes may present challenges for future missions, including spacecraft or any bases that might be established on the Moon’s surface in the future.