Talk:Svalbard Global Seed Vault
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[edit] Error with Norwegian name
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault (also called Norwegian Seed Bank or globalt sikkerhetshvelv for frø på Svalbard) is a "doomsday" seedbank under construction on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen in the remote arctic Svalbard archipelago.
globalt sikkerhetshvelv for frø på Svalbard. This isn't like, the norwegian name for the seed vault. I can say so with certainty because this "name" is phrased generically. It says "(a) global security vault for seeds on Svalbard", and not "The ..." Noone, not even Norway would name something like this in a generic term.
No specific name seems to have been given yet. But I can see multiple references to Svalbard globale frøhvelv, but in the end it will probably get a very fancy UN-ish name dreamt up by a very clever marketing executive deep within the Norwegian government. Something like Svalseed or Svalvault. But don't quote me on it! ;) the--dud 18:58, 21 July 2006 (UTC)
The name "genetic ark" has also been around (in the Nordic langiuages, at least: genetisk ark). That's the phrase i first used when looking ofr news about this on the web, but it seems to be less spread among web users [I don't have to point out here that google and yahoo are not full-text archives of the web and can't be used to determine if a phrase was around on the www (or even in a certain top domain like .no or .de) at/before any given moment!)
How about NORAD (Norwegian Organic Repository of Accumulated DNA)? ;-) Strausszek August 20, 2006 19.27 (CET)
[edit] Misc Comments
I am totally for genetic engineering, but a big part of these kinds of banks is to have something to go back to if one of the plants we make gets out of control and the old version no longer exists. Say we make a new kind of corn but a few decades from now when everyone is using it a new bug comes along and finds a weakness in this new crop. Seeds from the now-exinct original versions would be a great resource. I know it's an awkward addition so if anyone could help me out I would be quite grateful. --Mboverload 18:04, 15 April 2006 (UTC)
I have nothing to add, but thank you for making this article. I think this is sooo cool. Seriously, this made my day.Atinoda 05:48, 23 April 2006 (UTC)
The Lemma should be "Svalbard Global Seed Vault". -- Simplicius 22:51, 19 June 2006 (UTC)
re:Mboverload (on the needs for this even if there isn't a nuke war) Yes, exactly. The banana is a case in point, it's arguably one of the five most cultivated/transformed of all cultured food plants (and it's been that long before the chance of direct genetic modification arose) and so it's extremely vulnerable to new diseases. It's more or less been driven further to avoid attacks from new diseases, as well as to increase size of the fruit. In fifty or seventy years time, the banana as we know it may no longer be around in the supermarket. When that kind happens, it's vital to have backup of a less cultivated form.
Being from Sweden , one of the countries that have been in on the old project of a seed bank in Svalbard for a long time (back into the eighties), I heard about it some years ago (the mine facilities which are now scheduled to be moved to the new vault). I'll add something about the earlier history of the project from Swedish and Norwegian sources, and I think I'll check up if there have been parallel projects in other countries, I guess Canada would be a likely candidate. Strausszek 13:25, 20 august 2006 [CET]
It seems the US governemnt is taking steps to keep up old stocks of genome in cattle which would disappear in the breeding of high-efficient strains. This is from an article posted in early 2003 at the web pgae "Food Systems Insider" www.vancepublishing.com/FSI: "To protect the country against the negative effects of inbreeding, as well as other man-made and natural threats, the United States government has built a genetic ark of semen and embryos consisting of various livestock breeds. The National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation is charged with making sure the crucial genetic diversity survives the tendency of industry to favor the most productive animals, which narrows a specie's gene pool." Strausszek 01:35, August 21 2006 (CET)
[edit] Coordinates and map
Could we add GPS coordinates and a map of the exact place the vault is located here? Future generation could possibly look here for more information on that subject matter, methinks. Peter S. 19:08, 1 August 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Svalbard Global Seed Vault (also called Norwegian Seed Bank)
this is an error. the Norwegian Seed Bank will remain serperate and is located within a disussed mine. the Svalbard Global Seed Vault is a new construction near to the Norwegian Seed Bank
[edit] Good new BBC report
"'Doomsday' vault design unveiled", 9 February 2007.
Lots of details here including several images that, if taken from the original source, may be acceptable for us. violet/riga (t) 10:37, 9 February 2007 (UTC)
- I have used the images provided to create a 3d model and upload an image. Fosnez 13:54, 9 February 2007 (UTC)
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- Great work - well done! violet/riga (t) 07:15, 10 February 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Error in grammar ?
the comment "but the vault's relative inaccessibility will facilitate monitoring human activity" to me makes no sense at all. As there is no citation I'm not sure what the author was trying to say - any ideas ? ahpook 13:03, 16 November 2007 (UTC)
Because no one's normally around, any visitors will stand out like a sore thumb.--JO 24 (talk) 10:16, 16 January 2008 (UTC)
[edit] Strange Units
Why is "expecting to raise about $10^4/a"? included in the article. For the sake of understandig and speed, and everyday normal language shouldnt this be "expecting to raise about $10000 per annum". Bmgoau (talk) 07:55, 6 December 2007 (UTC)
[edit] "In recent years, some national genebanks have also been destroyed by war and civil strife"?
Examples? --Paul Pot (talk) 14:57, 23 January 2008 (UTC)
[edit] No Permanent Staff?
I saw on a news report this morning that they were going to have armed security. Is this temporary? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Posikyle (talk • contribs) 19:38, 26 February 2008 (UTC)
[edit] Illicit drugs seeds?
I think it would be interesting to know if they are storing seeds for illicit drugs in the vault. (I don't know the answer) -Ryan —Preceding unsigned comment added by Benchcomptons (talk • contribs) 02:03, 27 February 2008 (UTC)
- The seeds are not illicit, the possession of these seeds might be illicit. And that depends on the country. I guess Norwegian laws apply. Paul Pot (talk) 22:49, 30 March 2008 (UTC)
[edit] Antarctic would be a better place
I'm an agronomist.Well, I think that in near South pole, a better place for a global seed vault.Because of climate and no country would have total control. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 201.9.89.230 (talk) 14:05, 31 March 2008 (UTC)
- Construction in Antarctica is prohibitively expensive due to its remoteness, climate, and lack of infrastructure. You're right, though, if the costs were the same, it would be better near the South Pole. This is all original research, though, so we can't put it in the article. -kotra (talk) 17:41, 11 April 2008 (UTC)
[edit] Who are behind it?
On the site of Global Research one can find an article about the background of the vault. Monsanto, big food firms, GM crop corporations and the Rockefellers are in control. The vault serves to protect their interests. The article can be found here: http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=7529
[edit] This HTML is my source for the information below
http://www.naturalnews.com/022829.html Additional investors behind the Svalbard Seed Bank include the questionable involvement of the GMO companies Monsanto and the Syngenta Foundation. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Smarrie (talk • contribs) 04:36, 9 April 2008 (UTC)
