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Mar. 07, 2008
Arctic 'Doomsday' Seed Vault Opens
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A frozen vault containing samples of seeds from around the world has begun accepting seeds for storage. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, nicknamed 'the doomsday seed vault' by some, aims to preserve samples of seeds from around the world to protect the planet's crop diversity. The structure is located near the village of Longyearbyen, Svalbard, a group of islands nearly a thousand kilometers north of mainland Norway. The vault was dug into the side of a mountain, and is surrounded by permafrost and thick rock. "The opening of the seed vault marks a historic turning point in safeguarding the world’s crop diversity," said Cary Fowler, Executive Director of the Global Crop Diversity Trust. In this segment, Ira talks with Fowler about the project and its aims. |
Produced by Karin Vergoth
Guests
-
Cary Fowler
Executive Director
Global Crop Diversity Trust
Rome, Italy
FEATURED READING
Brilliant Blunders
by Mario Livio
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