HOUSE HUNTING

Moon Crater Could Support Colony

260-foot hole handy spot to support a lunar base.

Another decade passed—and there’s still no colony on the moon. What gives, NASA? Researchers may give the idea a boost, however, with the news that a 260-foot-deep, 213-foot-wide hole on the moon's Marius Hills region may be ideal for a lunar base. Scientists say the hole, a "lava tube," could provide protection from both the moon's extreme temperatures and meteorite strikes for a team of lunar residents. "Lunar lava tubes are a potentially important location for a future lunar base, whether for local exploration and development, or as an outpost to serve exploration beyond the moon," the team, led by Junichi Haruyama of Japan, reports. According to CNN, NASA is working on plans to set up a colony on the moon by 2025, but funding is not yet set.