Scientists at Moscow State University announced a plan to build its own version of Noah’s Ark, a databank that will house DNA samples of both living and extinct organisms.
The Noah's Ark project led by MSU head Viktor Sadovnichy was presented at a press conference on Thursday during the 260th anniversary of the university. The team was inspired by the story of Noah's Ark and hopes to clone extinct organisms in the future.
"We were selected for the Russian Science Foundation's biggest grant. I call this project 'Noah's Ark'. "It will involve the creation of a depository - a databank for the storing of every living thing on Earth, including not only living, but disappearing and extinct organisms...This is the challenge we have set for ourselves," Sadovnichy said.
The foundation has provided the scientists about $19 million to start the project, including the construction of the DNA databank facility on the university campus. The scientists said that the 430 square-meter facility will store both DNA samples and information systems that can be used to reproduce the organisms in the future; they also plan to build another databank overseas, according to Sputnik News.
"Should the project be carried out, it will be a breakthrough in Russian history. Russia will be the first in the world to create a Noah's Ark," Sadovnichy said.
The samples will be collected from different sources including the MSU Museum of Anthropology, the Herbarium, the Zoological Museum and the Botanical Gardens. The scientists plan to start the databank operation in 2018, the NY Post reported.
