The NIOSH researchers collected the tissue samples as part of experiments to determine how Americans may be impacted by chemicals and other substances they are exposed to at their jobs. Some of the samples are stored in a refrigerator that needs to be kept at -112 Farenheit at all times, while others are stored in liquid nitrogen. Unless someone inside the federal government continues to ensure the liquid nitrogen doesn’t totally evaporate, the samples will eventually defrost and begin to rot, according to three staff researchers who work with such materials. The Morgantown facility also houses historical tissue samples, including what the CDC describes as a “‘time capsule” of diseased human lungs from black lung victims. Current and former NIOSH employees who spoke to WIRED say they are not aware of any plans for these samples.