Disaster could strike at any moment. For hundreds of millions of years, life on Earth has had to contend with a litany of existential threats: wayward asteroids, deadly pandemics, frigid ice ages and hellish volcanic eruptions. Today, the threat of climate change perhaps looms largest.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, almost one in five land species have a high risk of going extinct by 2100 if global temperatures continue to climb unchecked.
The situation in the oceans is just as dire, as marine biologist Dr Mary Hagedorn, an expert on coral reefs from the Smithsonian's National Zoo, explains. "They're disappearing faster than we can save them." Her work focuses on cryopreserving coral, including its sperm cells and larvae, by using liquid nitrogen to store them in a deep freeze. "Once the material is properly cryopreserved, it's basically in stasis for all time," she says. One day they could be reintroduced to help stabilise ecosystems.
Her success has led Hagedorn to what might seem an outlandish proposal: a vault on the Mooncontaining alive-but-frozen samples of cells from the species most important in rebuilding ecosystems.
BURIED ON THE MOON
Could this plan actually work? Hagedorn points to the Global Seed Vault in Svalbard, Norway, inside the Arctic Circle, as an example. Currently home to over a million seed species, it's there to safeguard our food supply against catastrophic loss of some of the world's most important crops. It's a so-called 'passive repository', meaning it requires no people or energy to maintain the seeds at -18°C (-0.4°F).
But deep-freezing live cells requires a temperature below -196°C (-321°F), the boiling point of the liquid nitrogen used in cryopreservation. "There's no place on Earth cold enough to have a passive repository that can be held at -196°C," says Hagedorn, "so we thought about the Moon."
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
COULD MARINE CLOUD BRIGHTENING HELP US FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE?
The theory behind marine cloud brightening is that brighter or whiter clouds reflect more sunlight back into space.
IS IT SAFE TO RUN EVERY DAY, OR SHOULD I DITCH MY RUN STREAK TO SAVE MY KNEES?
A running streak, where you run every day without taking rest days, can be highly motivating and beneficial for overall fitness. Running is great cardiovascular exercise and isn't to be discouraged (and finding a routine with some consistency is great). Getting a bit of exercise as often as possible is also hugely beneficial for your mental health.
WHAT MAKES THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET SO GOOD FOR US?
The Mediterranean diet may help you live longer, especially if you also adopt the lifestyle of people living near the Med during the 1950s.
WHAT IS MEXICO'S BLUE HOLE?
The world's deepest blue hole (marine sinkhole) lies off the coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. It's at least 420m (1,378ft) deep, but explorers still haven't found its bottom.
HOW CAN I TELL IF I'VE GOT HIGH CORTISOL LEVELS?
Cortisol is a hormone produced by glands in our bodies called the adrenal glands, which sit above the kidneys. It plays a critical role in various bodily functions, including regulating metabolism, reducing inflammation and helping the body respond to stress. While essential for our health, chronic elevation of cortisol levels can lead to several issues.
THE LUNGFISH
In 1836, European scientists discovered a peculiar animal from the River Amazon that they struggled to identify. Its eel-like body was a few feet long and its air-filled lungs persuaded anatomists it must be a reptile.
ARE WE THE ONLY SPECIES TO HAVE BEEN THROUGH A STONE AGE?
The Stone Age might conjure up images of early humans, sitting around a campfire or hunting prehistoric beasts, but evidence shows that we're not the only species that has learned how to work with stone tools. Wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) use stone tools to crack open nuts.
Should we scrap daylight saving time?
Most of us look forward to the extra hour we get in bed every October, but researchers argue that changing the clocks twice a year harms our health
THE INTERNET OF ANIMALS
SCIENTISTS ARE USING ELECTRONIC TAGS AND SATELLITES TO TRACK WILD ANIMALS AND CREATE A DATA NETWORK THAT COULD HELP US ADDRESS THE BIODIVERSITY CRISIS
MUSIC FOR A DISTRACTED GENERATION
The number of things competing for our attention is often overwhelming. Can dreamy soundscapes created with neuroscience help our bewildered brains to concentrate?
