News: Apollo 11's Lunar Samples

As the Apollo astronauts head back home, scientists around the globe wait expectantly to begin examining samples of lunar soil and rock. Professor Samuel Tolansky is one of them and, as he explains to BBC News reporter Reg Turnill, he hopes that the specimens will help to corroborate his own theories about the origin of the moon. Before he can begin his experiments, however, NASA's own scientists will be screening the samples for any risk of space viruses.

Samuel Tolansky, Professor of Physics at Royal Holloway College, University of London, was also a principal investigator for the Apollo program. A crater situated near the Apollo 14 landing site was named after him.