Scientists Propose to Build a Modern Noah’s Ark to Preserve 6.7 Million Earth Species on the Moon

For decades, scientists have warned of the dangers of biodiversity loss and the sensitivity of our ecosystems. While existing efforts like the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway attempt to protect Earth’s botanical legacy, researchers are now aiming for something way more courageous, beyond our atmosphere. A team of experts from the University of Arizona, led by aerospace and mechanical engineering professor Dr. Jekan Thanga, revealed a bold vision, stated the University of Arizona.

Thanga and his team have proposed a solar-powered lunar ark to store cryogenically frozen samples from 6.7 million species—seeds, spores, sperm, and eggs—inside a wide network of underground lava tubes on the moon. Labeled as a "modern global insurance policy," the project would act as a safeguard for Earth's biodiversity in case of a catastrophic event or even total annihilation of the planet, stated CNN. Thanga explained, "Earth is naturally a volatile environment…As humans, we had a close call about 75,000 years ago with the Toba supervolcanic eruption, which caused a 1,000-year cooling period and, according to some, aligns with an estimated drop in human diversity."

Intriguingly, this ‘lunar ark’ takes its inspiration from the biblical Noah’s Ark, but with a dash of a modern twist. Instead of housing two of each animal, it would cryopreserve the genetic materials of millions of species. The storage would take place inside lunar lava tubes; humongous underground tunnels discovered in 2013 that are around 100 meters in diameter and have remained untouched for over three billion years. These tunnels offer natural protection from the moon’s harsh surface conditions, which include extreme temperature fluctuations, micrometeorites, and harmful solar radiation. It will be powered by solar panels placed on the lunar surface. Moreover, the samples would be housed in petri dishes stacked in preservation modules and transported by robots exploring magnetic tracks, stated the University of Arizona.

A futuristic phenomenon known as quantum levitation, in which superconductors float over magnets in cryogenic conditions, would allow sensitive biological samples to be stored without any physical contact, minimizing risks of freezing or mechanical failure. Maintaining cryogenic temperatures will be a herculean task. Seeds need to be preserved at –180°C (–292°F), and stem cells even colder at –196°C (–320°F). Thanga remarked, "It's not crazy big…We were a little bit surprised about that…It's like they're locked in place by strings, but invisible strings...When you get to cryogenic temperatures, strange things happen. Some of it just looks like magic but is based on tried and laboratory-tested physics principles at the edge of our understanding."

Intriguingly, to build the ark, approximately 250 rocket launches would be needed to transfer the inventory. However, this is feasible when compared to the 40 launches it took to build the International Space Station. Álvaro Díaz-Flores Caminero, a doctoral student on the team, shared, "What amazes me about projects like this is that they make me feel like we are getting closer to becoming a space civilization, and to a not-very-distant future where humankind will have bases on the moon and Mars."

Still, major technical hurdles remain—understanding how gravity or the lack of it will impact cryopreservation in the long run, ensuring smooth flow of communications with Earth, and creating top-notch cryo-robotics for maintenance and expansion. Despite these hurdles, the researchers are optimistic.