NationStates Jolt Archive

'Doomsday' vault design unveiled
The final design for a "doomsday" vault that will house seeds from all known varieties of food crops has been unveiled by the Norwegian government.

The Svalbard International Seed Vault will be built into a mountainside on a remote island near the North Pole.

The vault aims to safeguard the world's agriculture from future catastrophes, such as nuclear war, asteroid strikes and climate change.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6335899.stm#graph

While it certainly has it's merits, I can't help but think of a big flaw in their plans. Namely their decision to sitaute it so far away from any form of civilisation. True it's remoteness acts as a barrier to contamination, but wouldn't it also act as a barrier to retreiving the seeds if something major (as in world-wide catastrophe a la Asteroid impact) did occur?
It might sit there for thousands of years untouched until accidently stumbled upon.

I would think it might be necessary in the event something like a GMO goes amok and threatens the biosphere (as unlikely as it is, but always plan for the worst). If so, Norway's probably a good place to put it; relatively isolate, too cold for almost all plant life, buried in the ice and surrounded by water. It would be perfect for preventing it from being contaminated.

In other news, a functioning, commercial-grade quantum computer is going to be demonstrated in 5 days.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6335899.stm#graph

While it certainly has it's merits, I can't help but think of a big flaw in their plans. Namely their decision to sitaute it so far away from any form of civilisation. True it's remoteness acts as a barrier to contamination, but wouldn't it also act as a barrier to retreiving the seeds if something major (as in world-wide catastrophe a la Asteroid impact) did occur?
It might sit there for thousands of years untouched until accidently stumbled upon.

OK...so where would you put it?

While it certainly has it's merits, I can't help but think of a big flaw in their plans. Namely their decision to sitaute it so far away from any form of civilisation. True it's remoteness acts as a barrier to contamination, but wouldn't it also act as a barrier to retreiving the seeds if something major (as in world-wide catastrophe a la Asteroid impact) did occur?
It might sit there for thousands of years untouched until accidently stumbled upon.I'm guessing the assumption is that if people have the technology to use the vault, they have the technology to get to it as well. I can't say it's entirely unreasonable.

Ok lets build a giant magnifying glass... In case we get caught in an ice age.

OK...so where would you put it?

I like the phrase, "Don't keep all your eggs in 1 basket".

I'd recommend every country not only make contributions to the International Seed Vault, but have some sort of stash close to home, too (that way, if there's trouble getting to the International Seed Vault, countries can start planting new crops from their own stash of seeds, until they can get to the vault).

I like the phrase, "Don't keep all your eggs in 1 basket".

I'd recommend every country not only make contributions to the International Seed Vault, but have some sort of stash close to home, too (that way, if there's trouble getting to the International Seed Vault, countries can start planting new crops from their own stash of seeds, until they can get to the vault).

Didn't read the whole article, did you?

The Arctic vault will act as a back-up store for a global network of seed banks financially supported by the trust.

Dr Fowler said that a proportion of the seeds housed at these banks would be deposited at Svalbard, which will act as a "living Fort Knox".

Although the vault was designed to protect the specimens from catastrophic events, he added that it could also be used to replenish national seed banks.

Maybe the others aren't "doomsday" proof...but this is hardly the first seed bank.

Excellent. Now where's my blue jumpsuit with that big yellow 13 on the back?

Excellent. Now where's my blue jumpsuit with that big yellow 13 on the back?

At the cleaners. Where else?

I can see it now, in 10 million years when humans are dead and gone, the next dominate species to form a civilization get there environment destroyed, and eco systems ravaged by these pre-historic plants, which were dug up by paleontologists.

I would think it might be necessary in the event something like a GMO goes amok and threatens the biosphere (as unlikely as it is, but always plan for the worst). If so, Norway's probably a good place to put it; relatively isolate, too cold for almost all plant life, buried in the ice and surrounded by water. It would be perfect for preventing it from being contaminated.
That it is.
In other news, a functioning, commercial-grade quantum computer is going to be demonstrated in 5 days.
Oh, crap, there go all the current encryption security standards.

@#$%.

The first thing I thought of was that massive bunker in that movie "Deep Impact" that was supposed to save everyone from a asteroid impact...

only it was in the Appalachian mountains. hah.

Excellent. Now where's my blue jumpsuit with that big yellow 13 on the back?http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i137/al1101/pipboy.gif
The first thing I thought of was that massive bunker in that movie "Deep Impact"Really? Like N-A I was thinking Vault 13. It's an article about a GECK after all...

Didn't read the whole article, did you?


Actually, I must've missed that part. :(

Those of us that play Chrono Trigger, what does this remind you of? :D

I can see it now, in 10 million years when humans are dead and gone, the next dominate species to form a civilization get there environment destroyed, and eco systems ravaged by these pre-historic plants, which were dug up by paleontologists. It'll be like Halo with the Flood.

Except less impressive.

Most nations have a seed bank that they can access in case of the End of Days (even Iraq used to have one, but it was destroyed during the invasion).

I think this Norwegian bank is just to save the rarer kinds of plants, the kinds that are helpful, but not incredibly essential in the running of civilisation.

It might sit there for thousands of years untouched until accidently stumbled upon.Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Seed Bank...

Most nations have a seed bank that they can access in case of the End of Days (even Iraq used to have one, but it was destroyed during the invasion).

I think this Norwegian bank is just to save the rarer kinds of plants, the kinds that are helpful, but not incredibly essential in the running of civilisation.

According to the article it is to house all known varieties of food crop. Oh, and Svalbard was chosen because it's out of the way and is as geologically stable as a very stable geological thing.

My question is... how are they sealing it?

with a Masterlock padlock? (we're here... give me the key! I thought you had it.)
a combination lock? (is that a 26 or 28...)
a digial keypad? (and what's the power supply?)