Why Scientists Want to Build a Boat on the Moon – Life & Style

Scientists have suggested building a modern-day Noah’s Ark on the moon to save life on Earth.

According to a new paper published in the journal Bioscience, this “lunar biorepository” could store cryopreserved samples of some of the most endangered species on Earth to protect biodiversity.

Because the Moon is so far away, these artifacts will be protected from Earth-related issues, from natural disasters and climate change to geopolitical conflicts.

This out-of-this-world solution was proposed by researchers at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, who believe that some of Earth’s most endangered species can be preserved long into the future.

“Due to multiple anthropogenic drivers, a large proportion of species and ecosystems face risks of instability and extinction, faster than our ability to conserve these species in their natural habitats,” the researchers wrote in the paper. are growing.’

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, more than 45,300 species are threatened with extinction worldwide, which is 28 percent of the 163,040 threatened species.

Scientists have listed more than 18,000 species as “endangered” and another 10,000 as “critically endangered”.

Some groups of animals are more at risk than others. 41% of amphibians and 37% of sharks and rays are threatened with extinction, compared to 26% of mammals and 12% of birds.

The researchers suggested storing animal skin samples and fibroblast cells, a type of cell found in connective tissues throughout the body.

They have begun testing samples of a fish called the “star goby” (Asteropteryx semipunctata) to see if the cryopreservation technique would work.

Cryopreservation is a process used to preserve cells, tissues or whole organisms by freezing them to very low temperatures. At these temperatures, biological activity, including biochemical reactions that lead to cell death, is effectively inhibited.

Before freezing, biological materials are treated with cryoprotectants, which are substances that protect cells from damage during the freezing process.

The material is then slowly cooled to extremely low temperatures, thus helping to prevent the formation of ice crystals that can damage the cell structure.

The researchers suggest that the Moon provides an ideal location for storing these materials, as it is very cold in certain regions near the poles, and rarely has temperatures above minus 321 degrees Fahrenheit. This may allow less energy and less human intervention to preserve specimens.

Of course, this lunar boat is a faraway thing. Several challenges in this regard include preserving samples during space transport, international cooperation, and the effects of cosmic radiation, the researchers noted. One day, however, the moon may be the last bastion of our most endangered species.