Why scientists in Switzerland are freezing human poop
What's the story
In a groundbreaking initiative, scientists are freezing human feces to preserve the microbes within. The Microbiota Vault project, based at the University of Zurich in Switzerland, is collecting these samples as a way to protect humanity from potential disasters hundreds of years down the line. So far, over 1,000 samples have been preserved in this unique "doomsday vault."
Strategy
The team aims to collect 10,000 samples by 2029
The Microbiota Vault project, which began in 2018, is now ready to scale up its operations. The team plans to collect a total of 10,000 poop samples by 2029. Along with human feces, the vault also stores around 200 types of fermented food packed with "gut-friendly" microbes. The researchers even plan to add environmental microbes into their collection for future medical research and ecosystem restoration efforts.
Environmental impact
Why are the researchers concerned?
The researchers have warned about the growing problem of microbial loss, not just in humans but also in the environment. This decline is affecting human health and agricultural systems, leading to allergies and autoimmune disorders. The team blames human activities such as conventional agriculture, climate change-induced thawing of permafrost, and excessive antibiotic use for these disruptions to microbiomes.
Inspiration
Inspired by Norway's Svalbard Global Seed Vault
The Microbiota Vault was inspired by the "doomsday" Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway, which houses some 1.3 million plant samples to preserve crop genetic diversity. Currently, the Swiss vault holds 1,204 fecal samples and 190 food samples from nations including Benin, Brazil, Ethiopia, Ghana, Laos, Thailand, and Switzerland. These are kept at a frigid temperature of -80 degree Celsius.