A new virtual reality ( VR ) experience appropriate funny onlookers to take a glimpse inside the Svalbard Global Seed Vault , a “ day of reckoning - proof ” shelter in the Arctic that was set up to protect the world ’s cum from disaster and environmental devastation .
The on-line experience was launch earlier this calendar month by the Virtual Tour Company as part of the fifteenth anniversary of the seed bank vault opening . It ’s costless to use and does n’t require any sign language up . Just pip the link here to get going : https://virtualtourcompany.co.uk / GlobalSeedVault/
Users can only get across around the exterior and upcountry of the vault as if they ’re wandering through on a tour . There ’s also plenty of textual matter info and an audio usher to help inform your visit .
establish by the Norwegian Ministry of Food and Agriculture together with the regional genebank NordGen and the Crop Trust , the vault is located on the Norse island of Spitsbergen in the remote Arctic Svalbard archipelago .
nestle into the side of a snow - embrace hill , the vault currently book over 1.1 million seed miscellany from almost every res publica in the world . The vast majority ofthe seedsare ordinarily corrode grains , such as Elmer Leopold Rice and straw , although it does also bind thousands of examples of fruit , vegetables , herbs , and other plants , include marijuana and opium .
The specimens are kept at -18 ° C ( -0.4 ° F ) to delay ageing as much as potential . The frosty temperature of Svalbard are part of the reason it ’s located in this distant region . It ’s also a place that is nicely isolated from the perils of human activity , while stay well - connected to exaltation routes and infrastructure .
at long last , its prime problem is toprotect plant life transmitted diversityto ensure the worldly concern ’s future intellectual nourishment supplying . According to thewebsite , it does this by providing " long - terminal figure storage of seed duplicates from all genebanks and nations participating in the global residential area ’s joint effort to ensure the world ’s future food supply . ”
In other words , it ’s a tough fill-in for genebanks of seeds around the world in the effect of a catastrophe , whether it ’s due to misdirection and funding cut , to war and clime alteration . Ironically , however , there ’s been some venture that the vault may bevulnerable to thawing permafrostdriven by theclimate crisis .
