Proverbial "Noah's Ark" built on the moon will preserve Earth's biodiversity

A recent study led by the Smithsonian proposes a unique plan to preserve Earth’s biodiversity by cryogenically storing biological materials on the moon. 

The moon’s permanently shadowed craters are cold enough to maintain these materials without electricity or liquid nitrogen. 

The research, published in the journal BioScience, involves multiple Smithsonian institutions and outlines a comprehensive plan for a lunar biorepository. 

The lunar biorepository 

The idea is inspired by the Global Seed Vault in Svalbard, Norway, which serves as a backup for global crop diversity. However, the lunar biorepository would store animal cells, which require much colder temperatures than seeds for preservation.

The research team, including members from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI), Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, and Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, suggests that the moon’s environment offers a unique solution to the challenges of cryopreservation on Earth. 

“Initially, a lunar biorepository would target the most at-risk species on Earth today, but our ultimate goal would be to cryopreserve most species on Earth,” said Mary Hagedorn, a research cryobiologist at NZCBI and lead author of the paper. 

The team’s vision includes a public entity that would involve international cooperation and governance, akin to the structure of the Svalbard Global Seed Bank.

Biodiversity storage on the moon

The moon‘s polar craters, which never receive sunlight, maintain temperatures as low as -410°F (-246°C). These conditions are perfect for cryogenic storage without the need for additional cooling resources. 

The study emphasizes that this passive cooling method could mitigate risks associated with the potential failure of electrical systems, which is a concern for Earth-based repositories. 

Samples could be stored in lunar caves or structures with thick walls made of moon rocks to protect them from space radiation, which can damage DNA.

Cryopreservation of skin cells

As a proof of concept, the team successfully cryopreserved skin samples from a reef fish known as the starry goby. The choice of fibroblasts – skin cells – over other cells like sperm or eggs is due to the ease of preservation and collection. 

Fibroblasts can be harvested from an animal’s skin, making them more accessible for a wide range of species. For animals without skin, such as certain invertebrates, the researchers propose using other biological materials, like larvae or reproductive cells.

Expanding the research 

The next phase of the project involves rigorous testing on Earth and aboard the International Space Station to simulate the lunar environment. 

These tests aim to determine the best packaging methods for protecting the samples from radiation and microgravity during transport and storage on the moon. The team is actively seeking collaborators and funding to expand their research and develop practical solutions for the biorepository.

Conserving Earth’s biodiversity on the moon

The proposal is not merely a contingency plan for catastrophic events on Earth but also has potential implications for future space exploration. “We aren’t saying what if the Earth fails – if the Earth is biologically destroyed this biorepository won’t matter,” Hagedon said. 

“This is meant to help offset natural disasters and, potentially, to augment space travel. Life is precious and, as far as we know, rare in the universe. This biorepository provides another, parallel approach to conserving Earth’s precious biodiversity.”

The researchers’ vision for a lunar biorepository offers a novel and potentially revolutionary method for preserving Earth’s biodiversity. 

Global cooperation is needed

By leveraging the unique environmental conditions of the moon, they aim to create a fail-safe repository that could protect countless species from extinction due to natural disasters or other threats. 

The initiative calls for global cooperation and further research to make this ambitious project a reality.

“Realizing a lunar biorepository will require collaboration by a broad array of nations, cultural groups, agencies, and international stakeholders to develop acceptable sample holding, governance, and long-term plans,” said the researchers. 

“Protecting Earth’s life must be a top priority in the rush on the Moon sites for industries and many types of science.”

According to the experts, the next steps include expanding our partnership base, especially to include laboratories and agencies who work in space research. 

The team also plans to extract and cryopreserve fibroblast cells from the fins of fishes and test their packaging under space-like conditions on Earth.

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