Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Doomsday Vault

It's located some 700 miles from the North Pole, buried hundreds of feet deep in rock and ice, safe and secure from intruders, natural disasters and even military attack! What's inside? Hundreds of millions of seeds from more than 100 countries, all assembled and kept safe to protect the world's fragile food supply. Bundle up, as Scott Pelley heads into the frozen north for a tour.

Doomsday Vault
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DID YOU KNOW?

  • Svalbard, Norway, the site of the vault, is actually part of a collection of ice-covered islands. They're due north of Europe, and among the last bits of land before the North Pole.
  • The vault cost $9 million to build and there are 1,500,000,000 seeds from nearly every nation locked inside. It was built to last 10,000 years.
  • Norway paid for construction of the vault, while Microsoft founder Bill Gates paid to ship the seeds.
  • Each country owns and has access to the seeds they have deposited.
  • Its official name is "The Svalbard Global Seed Vault" and it has a maximum capacity of 2,250,000,000 seeds.
  • The seeds are stored at a temperature of zero degrees Fahrenheit.

Safekeeping

Comments

Sound off on this segment. Here you'll see the comments in the order they were posted.

1
sweet
Posted by danrelectric on Wed, Jun 4, 2008 8:08 PM ET
2
If the storage of these seed in hopes of preserving life in the case of a "global disaster or war" it is a waste of time and a great amount of money. I don't think the earth would support life due to the radiation and the destruction of most life and life forms.......even the forzen parts of the earth may be history. I don't think anything or anyone would be spared.
Posted by alahote on Wed, Jun 4, 2008 8:11 PM ET
3
I think it's a great idea, despite what nay-sayers say.
Posted by barbhendry@sbcglobal.net on Wed, Jun 4, 2008 8:28 PM ET
4
um ... who will be left to plant the seeds. oh yea and HOW will they get in to get the seeds? hmm.
Posted by kteam.rm on Wed, Jun 4, 2008 8:32 PM ET
5
Now that I really think about it ... I hope they left some sort of instructions because I wouldn't know when to plant the green ones from the purples ones and what kind of soil do the orange ones go in again? /sigh
Posted by kteam.rm on Wed, Jun 4, 2008 8:34 PM ET
6
mans wisdom at best is foolishness, the dam might break, there might be a wolf outside, prepair to meet your maker for that is the only hope we have the rest is foolishness
Posted by staplesthad on Wed, Jun 4, 2008 8:47 PM ET
7
if some thing where to happen no one still could open it because it is so secure to get inside... people we rush to it and they will sell it for lots of money and lots of fighting will go on...
Posted by rojasjerry on Wed, Jun 4, 2008 8:49 PM ET
8
This is what is called Planning ahead for Nibiru in 2012. Are you ready?
Posted by manny296 on Wed, Jun 4, 2008 8:50 PM ET
9
KTEAM.RM has a good point. Who would be left to plant them, and how will they open the vault if it was so secure. I guess this vault is built as a precaution to the 2012 Myan Calander end of time theory where Earth will be dragged into a Galactic Eclypse, causing earth to tilt and turn on its axis. Therefore causing great floods and disaster that would kill 95% of the worlds population......
Posted by brandonvang2002 on Wed, Jun 4, 2008 8:50 PM ET
10
I think it is a brilliant idea and anyone who thinks otherwise, well, we won't give you any seeds to harvest so see how much you like that.
Posted by guitarplayer200480 on Wed, Jun 4, 2008 9:14 PM ET

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