Space & Astronomy

Lunar biorepository proposed as a 'backup' for life on Earth

By T.K. Randall
August 1, 2024

Image: Eugene Cernan on the Moon During the Apollo 17 Mission
Credit: Harrison Schmitt (1972) / (PD) NASA The idea of storing large amounts of biological samples to serve as a backup in case of a catastrophe is certainly nothing new - the Svalbard global seed vault in Norway, for instance, contains over one million seed samples sourced from countries all across the world.

But what if even this is insufficient to preserve life if the worst should happen ?

To tackle this issue, scientists have now proposed building a biorepository, not in the frozen north, but on the lunar surface - a place where samples of cells belonging to some of the planet's most important animal species can be stored far away from the effects of climate change or unexpected disasters.

The idea certainly has merit - the Svalbard seed vault, for example, was recently subjected to flooding, while Ukraine's own seed vault was destroyed during its war with Russia."If there had not been people [at Svalbard], flooding could have damaged the biorepository," said Dr Mary Hagedorn of the Smithsonian's national zoo and conservation biology institute.

"So all in all, the idea of having a really secure, passive biorepository for safeguarding Earth's biodiversity seems like a really good idea."

By situating a lunar vault within deep craters that are never exposed to the Sun, a biorepository on the Moon would be able to function practically indefinitely without fear of weather damage.

That said, it may be some time before something like this can actually be built.

"We know how to do this and can do this and will do this, but it may take decades to finally achieve," said Dr Hagedorn.

Source: The Guardian

Tags: Moon