4 ms·

Svalbard Global Seed Vault

108 points by octosphere 7y ago

JoshTriplett 7y ago
Possibly brought up because of the recent reference in https://www.troyhunt.com/project-svalbard-the-future-of-have-i-been-pwned/ https://www.troyhunt.com/project-svalbard-the-future-of-have... .
- adwww 7y ago
  It was also raised here in a recent article about the 10,000 year clock - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20161637 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20161637
ptah 7y ago
it is already under threat from climate change https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/03/28/doomsday-vault-threatened-climate-change/ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/03/28/doomsday-vault-t...
- defluct 7y ago
  Nah, that is because of bad planning.
  - capitol_ 7y ago
    I don't see why it's not both these things?
    - pjm331 7y ago
      > The seed vault is an attempt to ensure against the loss of seeds in other genebanks during large-scale regional or global crises. If we categorize climate change as a global crisis then it looks like: vault meant to safeguard against global crisis is under threat from global crisis
jamest 7y ago
I found it interesting that Norway restricts births and deaths on Svalbard: https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/themes/adventure/103873808/svalbard-norway-the-island-where-no-one-is-allowed-to-die-or-give-birth https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/themes/adventure/103873808/sv...
- arcticbull 7y ago
  You'd probably love this short film, Nobody Dies in Longyearbyen (https://vimeo.com/232614312 https://vimeo.com/232614312)
- semi-extrinsic 7y ago
  There are a whole lot of restrictions like this, because the society there is so small and isolated it basically doesn't have the infrastructure to deal with childbirth, very sick people and old people. But people who live there and have babies on the mainland do bring them back to Svalbard after they are born, and there is a kindergarten and a school. You're allowed to stay there after you are retired, but then you're on your own, you can't ask for any of the healthcare benefits that pensioners are entitled to. There's also a whole lot of other exceptions, like different taxation from the mainland, exemption from needing a snowmobile licence to drive a snowmobile, permission to carry firearms almost everywhere, etc. The prices of e.g. milk and fresh produce are astronomical, while alcohol is cheap.
- munk-a 7y ago
  I'm aware of the death restriction due to the issue with it being permanently frozen there - the birth restriction mostly seems to be a simple lack of facilities that may lead to endangering the mother and child. I'd assume the birth restriction is more just down to liability and safety.
paradox1234 7y ago
Veritasium video: "Inside the Svalbard Seed Vault" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_OEsf-1qgY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_OEsf-1qgY
- linsomniac 7y ago
  Was going to post this as well, just watched it a few weeks ago when it came up on my feed. Veritasium is a good watch.
noetic_techy 7y ago
We need something like this for DNA of plants and animals.

108 points by octosphere 7y ago

Possibly brought up because of the recent reference in https://www.troyhunt.com/project-svalbard-the-future-of-have-i-been-pwned/ https://www.troyhunt.com/project-svalbard-the-future-of-have... .

adwww 7y ago
It was also raised here in a recent article about the 10,000 year clock - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20161637 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20161637

ptah 7y ago

it is already under threat from climate change https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/03/28/doomsday-vault-threatened-climate-change/ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/03/28/doomsday-vault-t...

defluct 7y ago
Nah, that is because of bad planning.
- capitol_ 7y ago
  I don't see why it's not both these things?
  - pjm331 7y ago
    > The seed vault is an attempt to ensure against the loss of seeds in other genebanks during large-scale regional or global crises. If we categorize climate change as a global crisis then it looks like: vault meant to safeguard against global crisis is under threat from global crisis

jamest 7y ago

I found it interesting that Norway restricts births and deaths on Svalbard: https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/themes/adventure/103873808/svalbard-norway-the-island-where-no-one-is-allowed-to-die-or-give-birth https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/themes/adventure/103873808/sv...

arcticbull 7y ago
You'd probably love this short film, Nobody Dies in Longyearbyen (https://vimeo.com/232614312 https://vimeo.com/232614312)
semi-extrinsic 7y ago
There are a whole lot of restrictions like this, because the society there is so small and isolated it basically doesn't have the infrastructure to deal with childbirth, very sick people and old people. But people who live there and have babies on the mainland do bring them back to Svalbard after they are born, and there is a kindergarten and a school. You're allowed to stay there after you are retired, but then you're on your own, you can't ask for any of the healthcare benefits that pensioners are entitled to. There's also a whole lot of other exceptions, like different taxation from the mainland, exemption from needing a snowmobile licence to drive a snowmobile, permission to carry firearms almost everywhere, etc. The prices of e.g. milk and fresh produce are astronomical, while alcohol is cheap.
munk-a 7y ago
I'm aware of the death restriction due to the issue with it being permanently frozen there - the birth restriction mostly seems to be a simple lack of facilities that may lead to endangering the mother and child. I'd assume the birth restriction is more just down to liability and safety.

paradox1234 7y ago

Veritasium video: "Inside the Svalbard Seed Vault" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_OEsf-1qgY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_OEsf-1qgY

linsomniac 7y ago
Was going to post this as well, just watched it a few weeks ago when it came up on my feed. Veritasium is a good watch.

noetic_techy 7y ago

We need something like this for DNA of plants and animals.