The Moon joins 24 other historical sites under threat in the World Monuments Fund's list of heritage locations that are endangered in the near future, and the reasons behind its addition are leaving many worried.
Heritage sites exist all across Earth and ensuring their preservation is vital in understanding and appreciating the planet's history.
While many of these locations include famous landmarks, historically vital buildings, or key nature areas, the Moon is the first in the list's history to go beyond the boundaries of our planet, perhaps indicating how important it is that we pay attention to future actions.
The list itself highlights 25 different sites across 29 countries, five continents, and the Moon, and there were over 200 nominations tabled before it was whittled down to the selected few.
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On top of this, the 2024 Watch has specifically highlighted key areas that affect the safety and preservation of heritage sites. 'Conflict and Natural Disaster' spotlights areas in warzones like Ukraine and Palestine, 'Climate Change' puts focus on areas that are at risk due to continually worrying trends, and 'Tourism' outlines how the global populations travel habits can harm the Earth we live in.
The final key area however encompasses a single entity: The Moon. This is due not only to the somewhat unusual inclusion of an area not located on our planet, but also to how vital it is that we amend future behaviors before history is lost before our eyes.
A statement on the WMF website outlines: "For the first time, the Moon is included on the Watch to reflect the urgent need to recognize and preserve the artifacts that testify to humanity's first steps beyond Earth - a defining moment in our shared history."
It continues to outline that it's not just the physical instruments left upon the Moon's surface by astronauts, like the camera and memorial disks, but the physical imprints that show the legacy left on the Moon.
These include humanity's first footprints on the surface, and these are at great risk of becoming damaged and lost through continuous exploration on the surface.
"The inclusion of the Moon underscores the universal need for proactive and cooperative strategies to protect heritage," the statement continues, "whether on Earth or beyond, that reflect and safeguard our collective narrative."
It is indeed the 'new era' of space exploration that puts these artifacts in danger, and this comes even at a time when no one has stepped foot on the Moon in over half a century due to regulatory and funding hurdles.