Scientists have discovered something that could help humans survive on the moon

Settlements on the moon are classic science fiction settings, but despite alleged efforts by NASA to build homes on the moon, we’re no closer to actually building one. It’s not hard to see why the goal of lunar colonization remains out of reach; Earth’s natural satellites lack the life-giving resources of the planet it orbits. Not only does the moon lack any liquid water, but its atmosphere is so thin that it’s basically in a vacuum. The first requirement of any potential lunar settlement would be a system to generate breathable air.

You cannot create such a system without access to the elements in the air. It is generally assumed that in order to create breathable air on the Moon, we would have to start the process of importing particles from our own atmosphere. Sending a portion of Earth’s atmosphere to the Moon would be an unprecedented technological feat, and the price tag is terrifying to think about. However, a recent study has revealed that natural forces have already done that for us.

In a groundbreaking paper published in December 2025 in the journal Communications Earth and Environment, a research team from the University of Rochester’s Department of Physics and Astronomy showed evidence that the solar wind continuously blows particles from Earth’s atmosphere to the Moon if they are deposited on the Moon. If this is indeed the case, the moon may be crucial to both the future of the solid Earth and its past.

Read more: 10 Most Expensive Space Missions of All Time

The computer model revealed an unexpected phenomenon

When the Apollo missions first brought back samples of lunar regolith (the external equivalent of soil), analyzes showed that the lunar surface contained traces of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, helium, argon, and water. These are the same main elements that make up Earth’s atmosphere, and new research indicates that this is no coincidence. Atmospheric elements found in lunar regolith originated within Earth’s atmosphere, and were then blown toward the moon by the force of the solar wind, which flows through the solar system at speeds of up to 1 million miles per hour.

The idea that the elements in the lunar regolith came from our atmosphere was proposed in a study 20 years ago, but research of the day claimed that the transfer of particles from Earth to the Moon ended after the development of Earth’s magnetic field about 4 billion years ago. However, when a research team at URochester ran a series of computer simulations comparing the effects of the solar wind on Earth with and without its magnetic field, they found the opposite to be true. A planet’s magnetic field may actually help transport atmospheric elements to the Moon because charged particles can be carried by magnetic field lines that reach the Moon.

What is the significance of this discovery?

Until now, the transfer of particles from the Earth’s atmosphere to the Moon ended 4 billion years ago, before life itself first appeared, but if the computer models created at Eurochester are correct, that transfer has actually increased since then, and continues to this day. This has great implications for both the past and the future. In terms of the past, if the Moon is constantly taking up particles from Earth’s atmosphere, this could make the lunar regolith a time capsule of atmospheric history. This could reveal new insights into how Earth’s atmosphere evolved and what conditions are necessary to make the planet habitable.

Uncovering the history of Earth’s atmosphere could provide important insights into creating a breathing atmosphere for future lunar settlements. By using the lunar regolith as a time capsule, scientists may be able to construct a clear timeline of the evolution of the atmosphere, potentially turning into a recipe of sorts for breathable air. Also, the presence of atmospheric particles on the Moon means that the basic building blocks for breathable air are already there. However, it is still a mystery how we can capitalize on those resources, and there are still many other obstacles to lunar colonization. The whole place is radioactive, after all.

Enjoyed this article? Sign up for BGR’s free newsletter and add us as your preferred search source for the latest information on technology and entertainment, as well as tips and advice you’ll actually use.

Read the original article on BGR.