We would need to detonate Earth's nuclear arsenal 130 times to release the energy that carved the Moon's giant canyons

A 2025 study in Nature Communications says two giant lunar canyons near the Moon’s south pole formed from a massive asteroid or comet impact.

The Schrödinger and Planck valleys were likely carved out in just 5 to 15 minutes, releasing far more energy than the world’s nuclear arsenal.

The finding helps reconstruct extreme lunar impacts and provides a benchmark for studying giant craters like Chicxulub.

It also sheds light on the Moon’s geological history and future exploration of the south polar region.