“A “lunar ark” hidden inside the moon’s lava tubes could preserve the sperm, eggs, and seeds of millions of Earth’s species, a group of scientists has proposed.”
The following written content by Harry Baker
The ‘lunar ark’ would be hidden in lava tubes.
A “lunar ark” hidden inside the moon’s lava tubes could preserve the sperm, eggs and seeds of millions of Earth’s species, a group of scientists has proposed.
The ark, or gene bank, would be safely hidden in these hollowed-out tunnels and caves sculpted by lava more than 3 billion years ago and would be powered by solar panels above. It would hold the cryogenically preserved genetic material of all 6.7 million known species of plants, animals and fungi on Earth, which would require at least 250 rocket launches to transport to the moon, according to the researchers.
Scientists believe the endeavor could safeguard our planet’s wildlife against both natural and human-caused apocalyptic scenarios, such as a supervolcano eruption or a nuclear war, and ensure the survival of their genes.
The scientists presented their lunar ark plans on Sunday (March 7) at the IEEE Aerospace Conference, which was held virtually this year due the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There’s this strong interconnectedness between us and nature,” lead author Jekan Thanga, head of the Space and Terrestrial Robotic Exploration (SpaceTREx) Laboratory at the University of Arizona, told Live Science. “We have a responsibility to be guardians of biodiversity and the means to preserve it.”
Not all the technology needed for this ambitious project exists yet, but the researchers think that it could realistically be built within the next 30 years, Thanga said.
Existential threats
The main motivation behind the lunar ark is to create a secure off-world storage facility for biodiversity.
“I like to use the data analogy,” Thanga said. “It’s like copying your photos and documents from your computer onto a separate hard drive, so you have a backup if anything goes wrong.”
Therefore, if an apocalyptic event destroyed the natural world or wiped out most of humanity, there would be a chance to “hit a reset button,” Thanga said. Read more from Live Science.
Subscribe here
