Hidden Habitat: Scientists Discover Underground Cave on Moon That Could Shelter Humans
A cave in Earth's moon has been found that could eventually be used by humans for habitation. Researchers have found a cavity on the moon that is several hundred feet deep and could serve as a human base, according to the study published by Nature.
Experts involved in the study believe that hundreds of such caves might be present on the earth's natural satellites, BBC reported.
For years, several countries have been vying to establish a base on the moon, BBC reported. Issues like radiation, extreme temperatures, and space weather have been their major concerns in completing this objective.
Helen Sharman, the first British astronaut to travel to space considers the cave to be a good place for human habitation, BBC reported. She also added that certain things need to be taken care of by experts before the settlement. According to her, the caves are very deep which can cause problems in movement.
Radar information from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter implied that a vacant lava tube is present in Mare Tranquillitatis, or Sea of Tranquility, according to the study. The study suggests that the cave could be a "promising site for a lunar base, as it offers shelter from the harsh surface environment and could support long-term human exploration of the Moon."
Lorenzo Bruzzone and Leonardo Carrer, collaborators in the study, from the University of Trento, used radar to penetrate the opening of a pit on a rocky plain called the Mare Tranquillitatis on the moon to find the cave, BBC reported. The penetration helped the researchers in understanding the depth of the cave.
Bruzzone, who was involved in the study stated that experts hypothesized about such structures for years but this is the first time that its existence has been backed by solid proof, Axios reported.
Bruzonne stated that a NASA mission in 2010, used the Miniature Radio-Frequency (Mini-RF) radar to capture a series of images of the lunar surface, Axios reported. These images were then analyzed with complex signal-processing technologies which provided Bruzonne's team with the radar reflections that indicated the presence of an underground tube in the area of Sea of Tranquility.
"This discovery provides the first direct evidence of an accessible rock tunnel beneath the Moon's surface," Bruzzone explained.
The cave has a skylight on the moon's surface, BBC reported. Researchers believe the structure was formed billions of years ago when lava flowed on the natural satellite creating a tunnel through the rocks.
Experts are speculating on the similarities of this moon cave with the volcanic caves in Lanzarote, Spain, according to Carrer.
Carrer was elated that his team was successful in completing their objective of finding caves on the moon, BBC reported.
"It’s really exciting. When you make these discoveries and you look at these images, you realize you’re the first person in the history of humanity to see it," Carrer said.
Carrer does believe that humans can eventually live in such caves. "After all, life on Earth began in caves, so it makes sense that humans could live inside them on the Moon," explained Carrer.
The next objective for experts is to understand the various aspects of the cave, and whether it can support humans in the long run, BBC reported.
"We have very good images of the surface – up to 25cm of resolution – we can see the Apollo landing sites – but we know nothing about what lies below the surface. There are huge opportunities for discovery,” Francesco Sauro, Coordinator of the Topical Team Planetary Caves of the European Space Agency said, BBC reported.