Cave Discovered on Moon Could Serve as Potential Home for Humans
Scientists have discovered a cave on the Moon that could be suitable for human habitation. The cave is at least 100 meters deep and is part of an "underground, undiscovered world." Astronauts may need to abseil in and use "jet packs or a lift" to exit the cave due to its depth.
As countries race to establish a human presence on the Moon, finding suitable locations that can protect astronauts from radiation, extreme temperatures, and space weather is crucial.
Helen Sharman, the first British astronaut to travel to space, expressed her excitement about the newly-discovered cave, stating that it appears to be an ideal spot for a lunar base. She even suggested that humans could be living in lunar pits within the next 20-30 years. However, due to the cave's depth, astronauts may need to abseil in and rely on "jet packs or a lift" to exit.
The cave was discovered by Lorenzo Bruzzone and Leonardo Carrer from the University of Trento in Italy. Using radar technology, they were able to penetrate the opening of a pit on a rocky plain known as the Mare Tranquillitatis. This location is not only visible to the naked eye from Earth but also marks the historic landing site of Apollo 11 in 1969.
The cave features a skylight on the Moon's surface, leading to vertical and overhanging walls, as well as a sloping floor that potentially extends further underground. It was formed millions or billions of years ago when lava flowed on the Moon, creating a tunnel through the rock. Prof Carrer compares the cave to volcanic caves in Lanzarote, Spain, and describes the discovery as "really exciting" since they are the first humans to witness it.
Recognising the cave's size, Prof Bruzzone and Prof Carrer believe it could serve as an ideal location for a lunar base. They argue that since life on Earth originated in caves, it makes sense for humans to potentially live inside them on the Moon. While the cave has yet to be fully explored, the researchers hope to use ground-penetrating radar, cameras, or even robots to map its interior.
The discovery of this cave not only opens up possibilities for human colonisation on the Moon but also presents an opportunity to explore caves on Mars in the future. Francesco Sauro, Coordinator of the Topical Team Planetary Caves of the European Space Agency, suggests that exploring Martian caves could lead to finding evidence of life, as these caves would provide protection from the harsh surface conditions.
In addition to its potential for human habitation, the Moon cave holds significant scientific value. The rocks within the cave have not been as damaged or eroded by space weather, making them an invaluable source of geological records dating back billions of years. This research could shed light on the history of the Moon and our solar system as a whole.
The findings of this groundbreaking discovery have been published in the scientific journal Nature Astronomy.
Scientists have discovered a cave on the Moon that could be suitable for human habitation.
The cave is at least 100 meters deep and is part of an "underground, undiscovered world."
Astronauts may need to abseil in and use "jet packs or a lift" to exit the cave due to its depth.
Source: BBC