Location selected for the construction of a modern “Noah's Ark”: American scientists have proposed saving life on Earth.
This information was reported by Newsweek, reports “URA-Inform”.
They proposed an ambitious plan to preserve life on Earth in the event of a global catastrophe: the creation of a «lunar biorepository» – a modern analogue of Noah’s Ark, but on the Moon. This project involves the cryopreservation of samples of the most endangered species on Earth and their storage in a safe environment on our natural satellite.
“Due to a variety of anthropogenic factors, a significant proportion of species and ecosystems face threats of destabilization and extinction that are accelerating faster than our ability to conserve these species in their natural environments,” they note.
The researchers propose cryopreserving, or simply frozen, animal skin samples and fibroblast cells.
Protection from Earthly threats
The lunar repository will protect biodiversity from the many threats facing life on Earth: natural disasters, climate change, geopolitical conflicts, and other anthropogenic factors. The samples will be stored in cryogenic conditions, which will preserve them for many years.
Cryoconservation technology
Cryoconservation is the process of preserving biological materials by cooling them to extremely low temperatures. Before freezing, the samples are treated with special substances – cryoprotectors, which protect the cells from damage. Then the material is slowly cooled to a temperature at which all biological processes stop.
The Moon is an ideal place for storage
Scientists believe that the Moon is an ideal place for such a storage facility because in some regions near the poles the temperature is very low. This will reduce the energy consumption for maintaining the necessary storage conditions and minimize human intervention.
The scale of the problem
According to researchers, more than 45,300 species worldwide are at risk of extinction. This represents 28% of all known and studied species. The “Lunar Ark” could be an important tool for preserving this precious biodiversity for future generations.
The “Lunar Biorepository” project is an ambitious and innovative approach to preserving life on Earth. Although its implementation is associated with numerous technical and financial challenges, it opens up new prospects for protecting biodiversity and ensuring the future of our planet.
The construction of this lunar ark is a long way off. The researchers note several challenges in preserving samples during space transportation, international cooperation and the effects of space radiation. However, one day the Moon may be the last bastion of some of the most endangered species, — the publication notes.
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