Researchers Propose Transforming Moon into a Life-Saving Vessel
Earth's biodiversity is dramatically dwindling. If no measures are taken, some animal and plant species might cease to exist forever. Researchers have proposed an innovative solution to safeguard species survival: transforming the Moon into an ark. This revolutionary concept was presented in a study published in the journal "BioScience".
The suggested method for preserving living organisms' genetic material or cells is cryopreservation. By freezing them, organic material from living beings can enter a state of suspended animation for hundreds of years. If certain animal and plant species were to become extinct in the future, reviving their cells would be as simple as opening the cold chamber.
Vulnerable to conflicts and natural calamities
Cryopreservation has proved to be increasingly successful, but a drawback exists: temperatures of at least -196 degrees Celsius are required for it to function. Maintaining this temperature requires a constant power source. Unfortunately, many of the world's frozen collections are stored in urban centers, making them susceptible to unforeseen events such as natural disasters and conflicts. If cooling is interrupted, the samples perish.
No location on Earth is cold enough to maintain samples without human intervention. However, there's a place that is: the Moon. At certain areas around the South Pole of the Moon, temperatures remain below -225 degrees Celsius. This is cold enough for stable, long-term storage.
Therefore, the researchers propose a lunar biomaterial repository to safeguard high-priority Earth species and preserve biological diversity. Simultaneously, it could foster space research and help terraform alien planets.
Transporting the samples to the Moon is a challenge associated with the logistics of transporting biomaterials to areas at liquid nitrogen temperatures. Nevertheless, this is achievable as rovers and humans are slated to visit the Moon in the near future.
Shielded by lunar regolith
One challenge is lunar radiation, which can destroy biological samples. Fortunately, the loose material on the lunar surface, regolith, could act as a shield against radiation. If samples have about a meter of regolith surrounding them, most of the cosmic and solar radiation will be blocked.
Although the idea seems attractive, it requires considerable effort, the researchers acknowledge. It would be a decade-long program involving multiple nations, agencies, and interest groups. The next steps include testing frozen biological samples under space conditions. The researchers also plan a trial run on the ISS before the lunar ark concept becomes a reality.
The establishment of a lunar biomaterial repository for the 'Protection of species' is proposed, aiming to safeguard high-priority Earth species and preserve biological diversity. Despite the challenges of transporting samples to the Moon and shielding them from lunar radiation, the Moon's extreme cold and potential use of regolith as a shield make it a viable option.
