Apollo-Proben, die 1972 zur Erde gebracht wurden, enthüllen exotischen Schwefel, der im Mondmantel verborgen ist und dessen Isotopenverhältnisse sich deutlich von denen der Erde unterscheiden. Eine mögliche Erklärung ist, dass es sich um den Planeten Theia handeln könnte, der vermutlich mit der frühen Erde kollidierte und den Mond bildete

Link to the paper on the finding: [https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2024JE008834](https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2024JE008834)

>A research team led by a Brown University professor has done just that. Researchers report a sulfuric surprise in rock samples taken from the Moon’s Taurus Littrow region during Apollo 17. The analysis shows that volcanic material in the sample contains sulfur compounds that are highly depleted of sulfur-33 (or 33S), one of four radioactively stable sulfur isotopes. The depleted 33S samples contrast sharply with sulfur isotope ratios found on Earth, the researchers say.

>**Dottin was a bit stunned to see isotope ratios that varied so dramatically from those on Earth.** 

>**“My first thought was, ‘Holy shmolies, that can’t be right,’” Dottin said. “So we went back to make sure we had done everything properly and we had. These are just very surprising results.”**

>**There are two potential explanations for the anomalous sulfur, he says.** 

>They could be a remnant of chemical processes that took place on the Moon early in its history. “That would be evidence of ancient exchange of materials from the lunar surface to the mantle,” Dottin said. “On Earth, we have plate tectonics that does that, but the Moon doesn’t have plate tectonics. So this idea of some kind of exchange mechanism on the early Moon is exciting.”

>The other possibility is that anomalous sulfur is left over from the formation of the Moon itself. The leading explanation for the Moon’s formation is that a Mars-sized object, called Theia, collided with Earth early in its history. Debris from that collision eventually coalesced to form the Moon. It’s possible that Theia’s sulfur signature was far different from that of Earth, and that those differences have been recorded in the lunar mantle.