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Photo: Regjeringen.no
A fairly new project, the vault -- which is located on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen in the Arctic Svalbard archipelago -- received its first seed shipments just over two years ago, from more than 100 different nations. This month the vault hits a new milestone: The collection now tops 500,000, making it the most diverse seed collection on earth. There's a ways to go before it's full, though. The vault has the capacity to hold 4.5 million samples, and each sample itself holds 500 seeds, so a maximum of 2.25 billion seeds can be protected and preserved.
Thirty-two potato species are among the seeds living the cool (very, very cool) life in northern Scandinavia -- which may sound like a lot of potatoes, but there are more than 100,000 varieties of rice (who knew there were that many kinds of rice?). That's really the point, of course. According to the vault's mission, "More than 7,000 plant species have historically been used in human diets; however, less than 150 species are today used in modern agriculture. Only 12 plant species today represent the major vegetable source in today's menu." (Soybeans and corn, anyone?)
Since the vault was created partly out of concern about global warming, one might ask what would happen if Svalbard itself started to get too warm. The official response is comforting -- sort of: "The Seed Vault [is] located at such an altitude and so deep into the mountains that neither the potential rise in sea level nor the melting of the permafrost is considered as a potential threat in the foreseeable future." Well, at least the plants will be safe.
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3-12-2010 @8:48PM Mark said... Well, when doomsday comes we'll know who's ever left alive where they will be headed, could someone please leave a snow shovel and a set of keys to get in. Thank You in advance.
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3-12-2010 @11:34PM Happycma said... ahhh, when doomsday comes, it will be out of our hands! : )
3-13-2010 @3:33AM patti said... I think this is a great idea, but is this thing terrorist proof and what are they doing to protect it? With all of the acts of terrorism and wars going on in the world today ......and in the future, we don't want this falling into the wrong hands. You can't be too careful!
3-12-2010 @10:25PM kpilker said... I do not know anything about storeing seeds but how do they store the seeds so they are not damaged? Do they know how long the seeds can be in there before they are no longer viable?
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3-12-2010 @11:35PM Happycma said... Seeds love to be frozen. I have had the best luck with seeds from my garden that I have stored in the winter months in the freezer. They go dormant when frozen and come back to life... it is amazing : )
3-12-2010 @11:34PM happycma said... OK, why are doctors here pronouncing their love interests? Isn't this about the so-called Global Warming and what we are doing to prevent it? More of a concern for me, the end of the world? Come on. This is GREAT. We can survive a cataclismic series of Earth Quakes, Tsunamis, tornados, hurricanes, volcano eruptions, asteroids..... and the list goes on. Stop thinking about your diabolic selves and think about the future! We would have a way to survive a possible nuclear holocost (maybe not us, but our children!) I am not one to believe in Global Warming, as I KNOW it is NOT true living in the midwest and studying 1000's of years history, but do have concerns about the other issues... we need to take heed and support this project. I for one am glad it is in place, so that should I have GRANDCHILDREN, they will someday, be able to survive.
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3-12-2010 @11:57PM Ryan said... Now I know where I can go after the world falls apart. Over 100,000 types of rice! I cant wait to try them all!!!
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3-13-2010 @12:32AM Precy said... If people read the Bible instead of mocking it, should really know what's going on to the world, because, all the SIGNS and warning will see/read there, if just understood the Word of God, the Bible. In the book of Isaiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Matthew, Peter and Revelations...it stated there, also in 2 Timothy 3:1-5, that says: "Were in this Last Days....critical to deal with will be here! So, if you have a Bible, u must read it those Books and text I quoted for you to realized it. Most people mocked the Bible's prophecies...thinking it will not happen...too bad, because GOD never lie!. when he says it will happen, it will. No need to be HOSTILE...you will see it will happen...just watch...KEEP ON THE WATCH...for these things will occur that no one will expect it will happen! KEEP YOUR SENSES!
When the Creator and Sovereign Lord of the Universe, God, the Almighty comes...no one can STAND....even those powerful world leaders and their soldiers. The Bible say: Come and meet your God...to all who mocked him and and Blaspheme his name and his power...those UNBELIEVERS! Funny that people don't realize that there is a God, who created them and all things of the Universe. Too, bad, that they let Satan the Devil blinded them, that there is no God, but actually , we have a very GOD who created us and he can destroy us all for OUR Disobedience and STUPIDITY. People think, without God, they will be okey, which is not!...Then, watch and see God's WRATH and ANGER for those who disobey him....those disloyal and unfaithful generation...a wicked generation. Satan rule this wicked world...and God let him to TEST humans where they sided on...when humans reject God, the Creator, then they sided Satan the Devil...whether they like it or not...or, whether they know it or not.
Those who mock God and his Sovereignty...they will see it when that 'DOOMSDAY' comes! All SIGNS and wonders are already here...right in front of our eyes/noses. All that is happening, before and today, especially is showing that God's JUDGMENT DAY is very near. So, ok guys...go and LAUGH a real long and hard laugh...go ahead and MOCK God's WORD, the Bible...who teach and guide us and tell us what to do...IGNORED God's Word, so, that, you will be in line for EVERLASTING destruction. Yes, go on be ridiculers, be haughty, be selfish and be philosophical...you really think it worth being that? JUST WATCH! and see God's JUDGMENT DAY...right now, we see all those calamities that mentioned in the Bible. Keep goin on your ignorance and philosophy. DOOMS DAY will be here, before YOU knows it!
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3-13-2010 @12:38AM grampz05 said... Are you sure you global warming folks aren't on drugs?
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3-13-2010 @1:00AM kelly said... why are some comments so fricking long winded??? jeez. cant some people keep their comments down to a few sentences instead of writing a freaking book????????
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3-15-2010 @2:18AM Al Goreski said... Idiots and morons, don't they know we're headed into another mini-ice age?
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3-13-2010 @1:05AM kelly said... Global Warming?? More like Global Tyranny!
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3-13-2010 @1:31PM randomtrickpony said... Oregon State University actually has the largest seed vault in the US next to that established by the USDA. It would probably be easier to get to then that crazy one on a Norwegian island...then again, more people know about this one than the other one...funny thing, that.
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