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- Scientists discover an underground cave on the moon where astronauts could live, and suspect hundreds more (businessinsider.com)
Lava tubes similar to those found in Hawaii may also exist on the moon, presenting potential habitats for future astronauts. Researchers have recently uncovered compelling evidence of a sizeable underground cavern on the moon, which may offer a protected and stable environment for human habitation.
An Italian research team, led by Leonardo Carrer and Lorenzo Bruzzone from the University of Trento, published their findings in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Astronomy. According to their study, ongoing radar imaging suggests the existence of an extensive cave approximately 150 feet in width and 260 feet in length, located deep within a moon pit known as the Mare Tranquillitatis pit. This pit likely formed from the collapse of a lava tube—a structure created billions of years ago when molten lava flowed across the moon’s surface, carving out tunnels.
The moon’s surface, devoid of active volcanoes today, shows evidence of these lava tubes through collapsed areas that appear as deep pits, which have been studied using images from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). Over 200 such pits have been identified, hinting at the possible existence of numerous underground caves.
Living in these subterranean caves could greatly benefit astronauts, providing consistent temperatures shielded from the moon’s extreme surface conditions. Katherine Joy, a professor of earth sciences at the University of Manchester, notes that these caves would offer protection from temperature fluctuations—which range from 250 degrees Fahrenheit in sunlight to below -200 degrees Fahrenheit at night—and cosmic radiation.
Moreover, a 2022 simulation study of Mare Tranquillitatis suggested that temperatures inside these caves remain around a comfortable 63 degrees Fahrenheit. Accessing these caves, however, presents challenges due to their location deep within steep, debris-filled slopes, requiring innovative technological solutions for safe entry and exit.
Exploring these caves could also yield valuable scientific data and resources. Researchers believe that moon caves might contain water ice, crucial for sustaining life and supporting extended space missions, including potential trips to Mars. This ice could provide drinking water or be split into hydrogen and oxygen for fuel and breathable air.
Lorenzo Bruzzone pointed out that different age caves and lava tubes might serve as geological archives detailing the moon’s volcanic history, offering insights into past lunar activity.
Groundbreaking radar technology holds the promise of uncovering more such lunar caves, potentially shaping future lunar exploration and habitation strategies.