Moon Rocks:
Unveiling Their Global Histories and Technocultures

On July 24, 1969, for the first time in history, a human mission brought rock samples from a celestial body to planet Earth. Sampling the Moon initiated research programs and museum exhibitions that still run today but whose history has yet to be told. My second book project changes that. As a material culture study, it builds upon archival research, oral history, digital humanities methods, and collaborations with museums, libraries, and science institutes. My study aims to review the global histories and technocultures of moon rocks. I argue that researching and exhibiting lunar samples created an exit from the crimes and tragedies of World War II, hence fostering international communities bonded by the desire for space exploration. New commercial and non-western space programs, however, challenge these knowledge communities. Not only is our view of the moon changing, but also we, our heritage, and thus the values of our pasts and futures are changing.

Full Project Description