Researchers at Moscow State University say they plan to collect all living organisms' DNA into a bank through a project named 'Noah's Ark.' According to a report on January 8 by the 'Higher Education' site, Victor Sadovnichy, the president of Moscow University, stated, 'We intend to create not only a bank of living organisms but also a genetic bank of all species that are extinct or endangered.' Currently, nearly one and a half million species of life have been identified on Earth, and the identification of life forms continues. According to the 'New York Daily News,' this project is a significant step for preserving life on Earth, as nearly half of wildlife species have gone extinct in the past 40 years. Environmental activists have welcomed this news. Ken Norris, president of the London Zoo Science Center, also stated, 'If a wild animal dies in a zoo today, it will be the headline of all newspapers. However, much wildlife is disappearing out of our sight, and we have no news of it.' Moscow State University has received the largest financial budget in its history for this project, amounting to $194 million from the government, part of which will be used to build facilities covering nearly 429 square kilometers for storing genetic information. The president of Moscow University said, 'With complete facilities, we can collect and store all necessary cellular materials to later enable their reproduction and create a comprehensive database for preserving related data.' He added, 'This project will be a significant step in Russia's history, and with this, we will create a real Noah's Ark.'
Project 'Noah's Ark' in Russia; Genetic Bank of All Earth's Organisms
Moscow State University is launching a project called 'Noah's Ark' to create a genetic bank of all living and extinct species. This initiative aims to address the alarming decline in wildlife populations, with nearly half of species lost in the last 40 years. The project has received significant funding and is seen as a crucial step for biodiversity conservation.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Moscow State University announced the launch of a project called 'Noah's Ark' to create a genetic bank of all living and extinct species. This initiative aims to combat the alarming decline in wildlife populations.
- The project has received $194 million in funding from the Russian government.
- Nearly half of wildlife species have gone extinct in the past 40 years.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Biodiversity loss is a critical issue, with many species facing extinction due to habitat destruction, climate change, and other human activities. Genetic banks can help preserve genetic material for future restoration efforts.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 90%