space · FOLLOW YOUR CURIOSITY
The Moon keeps a record Earth keeps erasing.
Both worlds have been struck by space rocks. Their surfaces preserve the evidence very differently.
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The evidence can disappear
Counting visible craters is not simply counting how often a world was hit. On Earth, weathering, erosion, volcanic deposits and the recycling of crust can alter or bury impact scars. Many lunar craters remain recognisable much longer.
Two surfaces, two histories
- Earth
- Water, weather and geological activity continually reshape much of the surface.
- Moon
- No Earth-like rain or wind: many old impact features remain visible.
Preservation matters when reading a landscape. A surface with fewer visible craters is not necessarily a surface with fewer past impacts.
A record with gaps
The Moon is not perfectly unchanged. New impacts disturb old features, and ancient lava flows covered parts of its surface. Its landscape is a surviving record, not a complete list of every event.
AN IDEA TO TAKE WITH YOU
To read a landscape, ask both what happened and what could have erased the evidence.
Follow a connection
The Moon changes its look, not its shape. →
Sunlight changes the way we see the Moon, while its surface keeps a much longer history.
Sources and transparency
NASA · Why Does the Moon Have Craters?
Accessed 2026-10-24
Prepared with AI assistance. Illustrations are explanatory, not evidence. You can report an issue in the interactive discovery.