Are people ready to disaster, yes, you can also find this the global vault seeds in Svalbard , we often read in the headlines about the types of animals threatened with extinction, such as humpback whales, rhinos and others, but do not forget that plant life is at risk as well.
Fruits and vegetables, which was the cause of the growth of human beings for thousands of years, taking into extinction, one study found that among more than 8,000 species of crops grown in the United States of America in 1903, only 600 species of them are remain in the year 1983.
What will happen if a global nuclear war takes place? What would happen if an asteroid hit the planet? Or catastrophic climate change, Will then be varieties plant exists able to supply human life? The solution lies in "Noah's Ark of seeds".
This life ship is located about 1,300 km to the south of the North Pole, in the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen in an underground cave, This ship called the global seed vault located in Svalbard - very large fort accommodate for types of 4.5 million seeds of plants. This ship is also called "Doomsday", which is a global insurance policy against possible disasters that plant life-threatening, where food production can be reproduced anywhere in the event of a regional or global catastrophe.
This safe reserve warehouse began by Cary Fowler in collaboration with the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), the construction project has been supported by $ 9 million by the Norwegian government. Seeds brought from several countries with free price, and the operating costs are paid by the Norwegian government and the Trust Fund for crop diversity.
The vault was opened in 2008, and during the first year, about 400,000 sample of seeds were stored, these samples come from different countries, including Ireland, the United States, Canada, Switzerland, Colombia, Mexico, and Syria. However, by 2013 the number of individual samples seeds became about 770,000 seed in March.
This vault was built 120 meters deep inside a stone cave in the city of Svalbard of Spitsbergen island. This location has been considered as an ideal location due to its lack of tectonic activity which is permafrost the thing helps to save seeds without rot. And being located at an altitude of 130 meters above sea level, ensures its survival even if dry ice caps melted.
Seeds are packaged in special four-ply packets and heat sealed to
exclude moisture. Locally mined coal provides power for refrigeration
units that store the seeds at −18 °C (0 °F). Even if the equipment
fails, at least several weeks will elapse before the temperature rises
to the −3 °C (27 °F) of the surrounding sandstone bedrock. To maintain
security, motion sensors and a webcam monitor the door. The control
tower at the local airport has a direct view of the site, which is kept
well lit during the dark winter months.
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