The tail-end accretion hypothesis of planet formation posits that the early Moon underwent heavy impacts. Viscous relaxation erased lunar impact basins that formed shortly after the solidification of the lunar magma ocean, explaining the low number of basins currently present on the Moon.
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References
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This is a summary of: Zhu, M.-H. et al. Obliteration of ancient impact basins on the Moon by viscous relaxation. Nat. Astron. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-024-02444-z (2024).
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Moon experienced more large impacts than we currently see on its surface. Nat Astron (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-024-02445-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-024-02445-y
