no support!
扫描二维码进行跟读打分训练
ThisisScientificAmerican's 60-secondScience, I'mChristopherIntagliata.
TheApollomissionsbroughtback 842 poundsofrockandsoilfromthemoon... nearly 2200 differentsamples. Butthere'sonesamplethatplanetaryscientistMeenakshiWadhwasaysisthemostinterestingofall: "Apollo 1-0-0-8-5."
NeilArmstrongcollecteditonApollo 11.
"Hewasabouttostepbackintothelunarmoduleandheturnedaroundandhadthisrockboxandhesawlittlespacesinthereandheknewthatthesegeologistsonearthwouldbejustsoexcitedtostudythesematerials, hejustscoopedupIthinkninescoopsofsoilthatheputintothebox."
ItbecameoneofthemostwellstudiedsamplesoftheApollomissions, shesays. AndageologistnamedJohnWood, attheSmithsonian, noticedwhiteflecksofrockinthesoil... whichheidentifiedasarocktypecalledanorthosite. Anditcluedhimintothemoon'sancientpast.
"Andthiswasquitealeapofimaginationbutheproposedthatthewholeofthemoonhadatonetimeinthepast, youknow, somewherecloseto 4.5 billionyearsago, beenalmostcoveredwithaglobalmagmaocean. Youknow, anoceanoflava. Andsothiswasarevolutionaryideaatthetime. Becausepeoplehadthoughtthemoonhadformedcold, soitcompletelychangedourideahowthemoonformed, howtheterrestrialplanetsformed, liketheEarthaswell. Youknow, itreallychangedalotaboutourunderstandingofplanetaryscience."
ButWadhwahasasecond—andmorepersonal—reasontoappreciatethissample.
"Imetmyhusbandbecauseofthisrock. MyhusbandisScottParazynski, hewaswithNASAasanastronautfor 17 years, from 1992 to 2009. AndafterhisretirementfromNASA, hewasamountaineeraswell. AndhehadalwaysaspiredtoclimbMountEverest."
Scott'sboyhoodheroeswereNeilArmstrong, andtheclimberEdmundHillary, whomadethefirstconfirmedascentofEverestwithhispartnerTenzingNorgay.
"Inhonorofthem, hewantedtotakeamoonrockfromApollo 11 tothetopofMountEverest, andtobringbackanEverestsummitrock."
AtthetimeWadhwawasthechairoftheNASAcommitteethatgrantsaccesstothesamplesforscientificpurposes. Butthisrequest, shesays, wasdefinitelyoutoftheordinary.
"Ijustrememberitbecauseitwasareallyfunnydiscussioninthecommitteeroom, youknow, hey, whatifthatmoonrockfallsdownacrevasse, youknow, andScottwouldbegoingdownwiththatmoonrockofcourse!"
ButScottmadeittothetop. Wadhwanevermethim, andmovedonfromthelunarsamplecommittee. Butthen, ayearortwolater, shesawafriendsuggestionpopuponFacebook: youmightknowScottParazynski.
"AndIreachedouttohimandIsaid, 'hey, howdidthatexpeditiongoanddidyoureturnthemoonrocktoNASA?'Andhesentmethisnoteback, 'Well, youknow, actuallyIdidn'tsendthemoonrockbacktoNASA. IactuallysentitbacktotheInternationalSpaceStationalongwithaEverestsummitrock. AndifyoueverhappentobeinHoustonI'dlovetomeetyouandthankyouformakingthatpossible.'AndsoIhappenedtomeethim… andthatwasit. Youknow, that’showwemet."
AndsoNeilArmstrong'slast-minutescoopofmoondustbroughttwopeopletogetherhereonEarth... andupturnedourunderstandingofhowthemoon—andtheEarthitself—gothere.
Christopher:There'ssomethinginthere, 'Onesmallscoopforaman...'
Meenakshi: "Yeah! Amagmaoceanformankind. Yeah, exactly. 'Onesmallscoopforaman, amagmaoceanformankind.'"
ThanksforlisteningforScientificAmerican — 60-SecondScience. I'mChristopherIntagliata.