{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Ireland News Beep | NewsBeep.com","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie","author_name":"NEWSBEEP","author_url":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/author\/newsbeep\/","title":"Scientists have confirmed that a pit in the Moon\u2019s Sea of Tranquillity opens into an underground cave, probably an ancient lava tube. Only tens of metres have been mapped, but separate modelling suggests that lunar gravity could support tubes kilometres wide\u2014natural shelters large enough, in theory, to house entire settlements.","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"UwggavH0YJ\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/615109\/\">Scientists have confirmed that a pit in the Moon\u2019s Sea of Tranquillity opens into an underground cave, probably an ancient lava tube. Only tens of metres have been mapped, but separate modelling suggests that lunar gravity could support tubes kilometres wide\u2014natural shelters large enough, in theory, to house entire settlements.<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/615109\/embed\/#?secret=UwggavH0YJ\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Scientists have confirmed that a pit in the Moon\u2019s Sea of Tranquillity opens into an underground cave, probably an ancient lava tube. Only tens of metres have been mapped, but separate modelling suggests that lunar gravity could support tubes kilometres wide\u2014natural shelters large enough, in theory, to house entire settlements.&#8221; &#8212; Ireland News Beep | NewsBeep.com\" data-secret=\"UwggavH0YJ\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>\n","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/nasa-lro-mare-tranquillitatis-lunar-pit-768x253.jpg","thumbnail_width":600,"thumbnail_height":198}