Forget Noah's Ark! Scientists want to send frozen samples of endangered animals to the MOON for safekeeping in case of a global disaster on Earth

Eccentric entrepreneurs for illustration Elon Musk want to put group connected nan satellite aliases Mars to guarantee humanity survives a global ambiance disaster. 

But successful nan arena of specified a catastrophe, what astir our planet's wildlife?

Scientists whitethorn yet person an answer, arsenic they propose putting a 'biorepository' connected nan satellite to safeguard Earth's rich | array of animals. 

The biorepository would incorporate stiff cells of millions of 'cryopreserved' animal species, from mammals to reptiles, birds and amphibians. 

In nan arena of life connected Earth being wiped out, these cells could beryllium hopefully beryllium cloned to create caller life – either connected Earth, nan satellite aliases different planet.  

Scientists at Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) successful Washington, DC person outlined their hugely eager scheme successful a insubstantial published in BioScience. 

Although they don't estimate nan nonstop costs of a lunar biorepository, they opportunity it will apt beryllium 5 times much costly to found than 1 connected Earth, but cheaper to maintain.

'Initially, a lunar biorepository would target nan astir at-risk type connected Earth today,' said lead author Mary Hagedorn, a cryobiologist astatine NZCBI. 

'But our eventual extremity would beryllium to cryopreserve astir type connected Earth.'

At an mean region of 238,855 miles, nan satellite is acold distant capable from Earth to past a ambiance breakdown that would swipe retired nan planet's animals. 

But it besides has nan added advantage of being acold capable to support animal compartment samples frozen, without nan request for energy for illustration connected Earth. 

The scientists propose locating nan 'biorepository' astatine nan moon's peculiarly frigid polar regions, which person craters that ne'er person sunlight owed to their predisposition and depth. 

These alleged permanently shadowed regions tin beryllium -410°F (-246°C) – much than acold capable for cryopreservation storage.

The experts return their inspiration from nan Global Seed Vault successful Svalbard, Norway, an underground bunker that stores stiff seeds successful lawsuit Earth's crops are wiped out. 

In 2017, thawing permafrost threatened nan postulation pinch a flood – showing that moreover a subterranean bunker could beryllium susceptible to ambiance change. 

Compared pinch seeds, animal cells require overmuch little retention temperatures for preservation (-320°F aliases -196°C). 

As portion of their study, Hagedorn and colleagues have cryopreserved tegument samples from a reef food called nan starry goby – specifically from its fins. 

The fins incorporate a type of tegument compartment called fibroblasts, which nutrient nan structural model for animal tissues and play a captious domiciled successful coiled healing.

Next, nan samples will acquisition radiation vulnerability testing – akin to what nan moon's aboveground is exposed to – to hole for biologic worldly to beryllium sent to nan moon. 

Another early measurement is designing packaging that tin withstand levels of radiation and microgravity that are emblematic of abstraction travel. 

Potentially samples would first beryllium sent to nan International Space Station (ISS) to spot really they'd withstand space, successful lawsuit changes to packaging were needed.

Eventually, nan first load of compartment samples from nan astir threatened type could beryllium transported on pinch astronauts arsenic portion of early missions to nan satellite nether NASA's Artemis programme. 

Artemis will yet found a imperishable guidelines and 'sustained quality presence' connected nan moon, pinch buildings and infrastructure. 

Of course, nan eager task will apt look galore hurdles, including nan sheer number of animal type connected Earth – estimated astatine 7 million. 

According to a study published successful November past year, 2 cardinal type are now threatened pinch extinction, some animals and plants. 

But nan scientists accent that this is simply a 'decades-long program' and a semipermanent task that will require immense world cooperation. 

'Realizing a lunar biorepository will require collaboration by a wide array of nations, taste groups, agencies, and world stakeholders to create acceptable sample holding, governance, and semipermanent plans,' they say. 

'Protecting Earth's life must beryllium a apical privilege successful nan unreserved connected nan Moon sites for industries and galore types of science.'