These ions are created when charged particles from the Sun pelt the lunar surface, causing particles there to react and become negatively charged. Here on Earth, the planet's magnetic field stops these particles from ever reaching the surface.

But since the Moon doesn't have a magnetic field, its surface is extremely vulnerable to these charged particles. Unlike positively charged particles, however, they never make it back into orbit, forcing scientists to study them on the surface instead.

[–] machinin 14 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Yeah, I get that, but why negative ions? Their research seems important, I just don't understand the significant of the ions.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 6 months ago

Important to know if we ever want a moonbase. Its always been known that ionizing radiation would be an issue without an atmosphere, but this is more solid evidence that they are present on the surface. They also can do cool stuff at the atomic level to form ionic bonds and create thing naturally that we just wouldn't find here on earth.

[–] ShittyBeatlesFCPres 6 points 6 months ago

Negative ions help with depression and if you’re stuck on the dark side of the moon, you’ll probably be depressed. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3598548/

The next step is to send humans to lick them and see if they taste good. Licking the lunar surface could reveal flavors never experienced by man or beast.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 6 months ago

Those were mine, I left them there.

[–] Numenor 3 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Maybe there's a waterfall nearby

[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

On a galatic scale, yes, on a human scale, absolutely not.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago

The Chinese were just caught with having installed a water pipe at one of their most famous "waterfalls" to juice the flow, in what they claimed to be the "dry season". Chinese online, lol, have complained that no one was ever told about this, and everyone believed it was natural which is why they traveled from such long distances to see it's natural wonder.

Never believe the Chinese, China is first and foremost, a liar.

[+] [email protected] -15 points 6 months ago (3 children)

If you're believing a single thing the fucking Chinese are reporting scientifically from anywhere about any subject whatsoever, I've got a bridge in Brooklyn that I can let you have real cheap

[–] [email protected] 33 points 6 months ago (1 children)

You should always read scientific publications with a healthy dose of scepticism - not because science isn't to be trusted, but because trying to falsify it's results and finding potential issues is an important part of the process.

If you do that, I don't see why you should treat Chinese papers differently. Sure, a country with an authoritarian government with a cultural emphasis on face might produce some papers that aren't factual due to that specifically, but dismissing the scientific output of a nation of over a billion people over that seems backwards.

[–] machinin 10 points 6 months ago

This is actually from the European Space Agency. They collaborated with China to deliver the instrument to the moon.

[–] Cornpop 4 points 6 months ago

Stupid take