A doomsday poop vault! Here's why scientists are freezing 10,000 samples of human feces
microbial heritage
.
Located in Switzerland, the
Microbiota Vault
is modeled after Norway's famous Svalbard Global Seed Vault. But instead of preserving crops, this project focuses on the microbes living in and around us—starting with the ones in our gut. Human feces contain billions of microbes essential for digestion, immunity, and overall health. So far, scientists have already frozen over 1,200 stool samples at -80°C (-112°F), with plans to collect thousands more from across the globe.
The vault also houses nearly 200 fermented food samples and will eventually store environmental microbes too. Together, these form a global archive of microbial life vital to human, animal, and ecosystem health.
Why Save Microbes?
According to a June 27 commentary in
Nature Communications
,
microbial diversity
is under serious threat. Factors like industrial farming, climate change, antibiotics, and even modern diets are eroding the richness of microbiomes worldwide. And with that loss comes rising rates of chronic illnesses—ranging from autoimmune diseases to metabolic disorders.
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'Our microbiome is under threat,' the researchers wrote. 'Microbe loss is associated with an alarming rise in chronic diseases.'
Dr. Martin Blaser, co-author of the paper and director at Rutgers University's Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, warns that 'human activities are depleting our microbiome, and there's lots of evidence of that.'
Preserving the Past to Heal the Future
The Microbiota Vault began in 2018 with a pilot phase testing the feasibility of collecting and storing microbial samples globally. Contributions have come from countries like Brazil, Ethiopia, Laos, and Ghana. Now, the project is entering its 'growth' phase, aiming to secure a permanent cold-climate vault—ideally in Switzerland or Canada—and expand its microbial library significantly.
Will freezing poop actually help future generations? Scientists believe that even if restoration isn't possible now, future medical advances could make it so.
'We believe that one day the science will improve sufficiently so that we will have really good restorative techniques,' said Blaser.
In short: today's poop could be tomorrow's medical breakthrough.
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