Scientists have proposed building a “lunar biorepository” on the moon to store cryopreserved samples from endangered species on Earth. This would serve as a modern “ark” to help preserve biodiversity. Storing the samples on the moon would protect them from threats on Earth like natural disasters, climate change, and human conflicts.
The researchers from the Smithsonian suggest cryopreserving skin and fibroblast cell samples from species like the critically endangered black rhino. Cryopreservation involves freezing biological materials at very low temperatures to effectively stop biochemical processes and prevent cell damage.
The moon is seen as an ideal location because certain polar regions remain extremely cold, requiring less energy and human intervention to maintain frozen samples long-term. However, significant challenges remain like safely transporting samples to the moon, dealing with cosmic radiation effects, and gaining international collaboration.
If realized, the proposed “lunar biorepository” could help safeguard genetic material and the last remaining individuals of species threatened with extinction on our changing planet, ensuring biodiversity is preserved for future generations. The researchers have begun testing the cryopreservation technique using a type of fish as a model.
Source: Newsweek
