Forty years ago today, Dec. 7, 1972, the astronauts of the Apollo 17 mission became the last people to launch into space and land on the Moon three days later.
Even though we haven't sent any astronauts to the Moon since Apollo 17, the Earth's only natural satellite is still revealing tons of new information.
NASA's recent mission to map the Moon's gravity field, for example, found hidden volcanoes on the Moon.
That's not the only recent Moon finding or interesting fact — here are some you may have missed.
Eugene Shoemaker is the first person to be buried on the Moon.
Along with the launch of NASA's Lunar Prospector on Jan. 6, 1998 the ashes of Eugene Shoemaker came along for the ride and became the first person to be put to rest on the Moon.
Shoemaker was a geologist and astronomer who worked on several U.S. space missions and discovered about 20 comets and 800 asteroids along with his wife. He longed to be an astronaut, but was rejected because of medical problems.
A polycarbonate vial carrying an ounce on Shoemaker's ashes slammed into a moon crater burying him in the place he so badly wanted to go.
Moon dust is toxic to humans.
According to research particles of Moon dust are so small and jagged that if they get into the lungs it is likely that moon dust would cause airway inflammation, at best.
Researchers think moon dust is even more dangerous and cancerous to humans than regular dust because it has been exposed to the harsh radiation in space.
A survey in 1988 found that 13 percent of people think the moon is really made out of cheese.
According to a report by the Lowel Observatory, 13 percent of people really thought the moon was made of cheese.
Maybe because of the craters they thought it was a huge chunk of Swiss cheese.
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