Lunar rover: Glass globules found on the Moon

China's lunar rover Yutu-2

"Translucent glass globules" have been found on the far side of the Moon by China's lunar rover, Yutu-2.

The rover - which was launched as part of the Chang'e 4 mission - has been on the Moon since January 2019, from where it has been sending photos back to Earth.

It has been travelling across a crater on the far side of the Moon which was previously unexplored.

Examining images taken by the rover's panoramic camera, researchers discovered 15-25mm across spherical glass globules.

Glass on the Moon isn't uncommon. Glass forms when silicate material is subjected to high temperature and silicate is a common mineral in lunar rocks.

The translucent glass globules found on the Moon

Lunar glass is thought to have formed from volcanic activity in the past, or a more recent meteorite impact.

As the latest glass globules are bigger than the translucent glass found before, researchers believe it formed from volcanic glass which melted again from meteorite impact.

The scientists hope the globules could give more information about the "early impact history" of the Moon.