Graphene, Earth’s Most Promising “Wonder Material,” Has Been Found on the Moon | Space & Technology

Naturally occurring graphene has been found in lunar samples, a discovery that potentially reshapes the debate on the formation of Earth’s Moon, according to Chinese researchers at the Jilin University School of Materials Science & Engineering.

“This is the first study to verify the presence of natural few-layer graphene in lunar soil samples by examining its microstructure and composition,” explained study lead author Wei Zhang in a paper published in the journal National Science Review. “Our finding provides new insights into the origin of the Moon, supporting the hypothesis of a carbon-containing Moon.”

Graphene, a form of carbon known as a fullerene that is also produced on Earth through man-made technological processes, could be a missing key to unlocking lunar mysteries, as well as practical material science and engineering prospects on…