What geological hypothesis explains why *maria* are less common on the far side?
Answer
The far side has a thicker crust preventing magma from erupting
The significant geological contrast suggests that the thinner crust on the near side permitted magma to rise and form the *maria*, a process that the thicker crust on the far side prevented from occurring on the same scale.

Related Questions
What physical mechanism causes the Moon to always show the same face to Earth?What is the accurate descriptor for the hemisphere of the Moon we never see from Earth?Which unmanned Soviet probe transmitted the very first images of the far side back to Earth?What geological characteristic did Luna 3 immediately reveal about the far side?When did the Apollo 8 crew become the first humans to visually witness the far side of the Moon?What geological feature defines the visible near side of the Moon?What primary feature dominates the landscape of the Moon's far side?What large impact feature is noted as prominent on the Moon's far side?What qualitative leap did the Apollo 8 mission represent compared to Luna 3's data?During the trajectory of Apollo 8, what unique visual experience did the crew have while orbiting the Moon?What geological hypothesis explains why *maria* are less common on the far side?