Will we ever colonize the Moon?
A big problem facing any future Moon colonies is radiation exposure. The Moon doesn’t have a magnetic field to shield it like the Earth does, so any time spent on the surface would involve a heavy helping of harmful space rays. To survive & thrive on the Moon, we are going to need an adequate shelter
Hundreds of centuries ago, the Moon was still geologically active, and hot lava flowed on it’s surface. Well actually, just under the surface. The top layer of these lava flows would quickly cool and harden to solid rock when exposed to the conditions of the surface.
But just under this rock layer, hot lava would still flow. As time goes by, these tubes of lava flow slowly drain and cool, leaving a hollow tunnel, and a perfectly level floor of solid rock. Sometimes a section of tunnel would collapse, leaving a hole into the void. On Earth, these holes are what geologists call a “skylight”. In 2008, astronomers located the very first “skylight” on the Moon.
Today, over 200 of these “skylights” have been identified as pits leading to subsurface voids on the Moon. These natural space caves would be an ideal location for a Moon colony. The interiors of such lava tubes would be natural shelter from harmful cosmic radiation & incoming meteorites, and also provide easier access to underground mineral resources.
Will we ever colonize the Moon?
