Cave discovered on Moon could be ideal 'permanent base' for humans one day, claims report

For the first time ever, a cave has reportedly been discovered on the moon. Reports state it is 100 metres deep and could well go on to become an ideal "permanent base for humans." According to the researchers, there's a whole ¡°underground, undiscovered world¡± and this cave is most probably just one in hundreds they've happened upon. Here's all they've found out.

What was discovered on the moon recently?

It is 100 metres deep and could well go on to become an ideal "permanent base for humans" | Image: NASA

Also read: Can this mysterious 'hole' on Mars help humans colonise the red planet?

The recent discovery of a cave, 100 metres deep across, on the Moon, is a big leap for humankind. Why? According to a CNBC report, one main reason is human survival. Additionally, since water can be used to make rocket fuel, the moon could one day become a refuelling station for rockets and "a springboard for deeper space exploration."

BBC News reports, that this cave is visible to the naked eye from Earth. It is also where Apollo 11 landed in 1969.

One of the major challenges in establishing a permanent presence on the Moon is protecting astronauts from space weather, extreme temperatures and radiation. Astronaut Helen Sharman told BBC News that this cave seemed ideal for a base, suggesting that humans could, 20 to 30 years from now, be living in lunar pits. One way she pictured this was as humans abseiling in and using "jet packs" to get out.

Who discovered the cave on the Moon?

This cave is visible to the naked eye from Earth. It is also where Apollo 11 landed in 1969 | Image: Lorenzo Bruzzone and Leonardo Carrer via BBC

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Researchers discovered an opening in a pit on a rocky plain called the Mare Tranquillitatis and used radar to study its depth. Lorenzo Bruzzone and Leonardo Carrer at the University of Trento in Italy are the brains and eyes behind the operation.

¡°It¡¯s really exciting. When you make these discoveries and you look at these images, you realise you¡¯re the first person in the history of humanity to see it,¡± Prof Carrer told BBC News.

Professors Bruzzone and Carrer echoed Astronaut Helen Sharman's thought: it could become the ideal spot for a lunar base one day. ¡°After all, life on Earth began in caves, so it makes sense that humans could live inside them on the Moon,¡± Prof Carrer explained.

Not surprisingly, this latest discovery could help researchers also navigate caves on Mars bringing us one step closer to understanding life, if any, on the red planet. Additionally, the cave could help experts understand the history of the Moon and the solar system better.

Also read: Man discovers creepy 'ghost ship' abandoned 3 years ago after outbreak of deadly disease

(h/t: BBC News)

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