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Mon 19 Jun, 2006 04:25 pm
Doomsday Vault Under Construction
It sounds like a 1950s science fiction movie plot, but five Nordic nations say they are building a doomsday seed vault in an Arctic mountain.
The vault, being built near Svalbard, Norway, on a Barents Sea island, is designed to ensure the long-term survival of the Earth's food crops should a major catastrophe befall the planet, Global Crop Diversity Trust said in a release.
Three feet of reinforced concrete will fortify the seed repository of last resort, with Arctic permafrost keeping samples frozen for 100 years, even if electricity fails, officials said. The samples -- stored in watertight foil packages -- will be protected by massive security doors, guards, motion detectors and even the ubiquitous presence of polar bears.
The $3 million vault will have a capacity of 3 million seed samples -- replicates of the world's most critical crop collections, now scattered among some 1,400 gene banks on every continent except Antarctica. Samples will remain viable for hundreds of years -- some varieties for thousands of years -- and will only be released in the event all other seed sources have been destroyed or exhausted.
Construction began Monday with a ceremony attended by the prime ministers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.
Good for them. Our current seed crops are so closely related that all wheat, for example, could succumb to the same disease.
Yeah, that's the trouble with all this genetic modification stuff.
You know what is amazing to me?
That they can build the thing for 3 million dollars.
I wouldn't imagine that 3 million would break ground here.
Ah, but we don't know how big it is. Maybe it's the size of a doghouse that would hold Marmaduke? :wink:
Re: Doomsday Vault Under Construction
Reyn wrote:Doomsday Vault Under Construction
...
Three feet of reinforced concrete will fortify the seed repository of last resort, with Arctic permafrost keeping samples frozen for 100 years, even if electricity fails, officials said. The samples -- stored in watertight foil packages -- will be protected by massive security doors, guards, motion detectors and even the ubiquitous presence of polar bears.
...
I know I'm not as smart as you guys (
) but at least, I'm gifted with some common sense. That's why I can't help wondering : once humanity is almost extinct, how will the last survivors manage to find it, and most important, how will they manage to get inside ????
Re: Doomsday Vault Under Construction
Sleidia wrote: I'm gifted with some common sense.quote]
How fortunate you are.
Well, that doesn't answer my question
They probably have one for humans that we wont be told about
alex
Selasnave--
Quote:They probably have one for humans that we wont be told about.
Complete with robot nannies?
A simple robotic arm that will handle test tubes gently should do it.. put an apron and bonnet on it if you like
alex
Re: Doomsday Vault Under Construction
Damn good idea, that.
Sleidia wrote:Reyn wrote:Doomsday Vault Under Construction
...
Three feet of reinforced concrete will fortify the seed repository of last resort, with Arctic permafrost keeping samples frozen for 100 years, even if electricity fails, officials said. The samples -- stored in watertight foil packages -- will be protected by massive security doors, guards, motion detectors and even the ubiquitous presence of polar bears.
...
I know I'm not as smart as you guys (
) but at least, I'm gifted with some common sense. That's why I can't help wondering : once humanity is almost extinct, how will the last survivors manage to find it, and most important, how will they manage to get inside ????
You're assuming major catastrophe means humanity will be almost extinct. Not necessarily the case. You're further assuming that none of the people who prepare for that kind of thing bother to keep themselves informed about stuff like this. And finally, you're assuming that none of the smart guys will survive. :wink:
Ok but common sense 101 says that you build a "doomsday vault" also for the worst case scenario.
So, I ask it again : when only a few survive, how will they find it and be able to get inside it?
And how a very smart survivor would do it, in your opinion?
xelasnave--
You'll need at least two robotic arms to change diapers.
Noddy your planning ability will see you on the team.
alex
Xelasnave--
I'm already committed to keeping an enduring chronicle of The World As We Knew It, but thanks for the invitation.
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