How do you store over 2.5 billion seeds for the future of our planet?
In short: The Millennium Seed Bank at Wakehurst is a global vault designed to protect plant life for generations. This video follows a seed-collecting mission in the South of England and explores the meticulous laboratory processes required to preserve biodiversity, from cleaning and x-raying to deep underground storage.
The Millennium Seed Bank serves as a critical repository, currently housing more than 2.5 billion seeds. The facility functions as a global hub, receiving samples from around the world to support research and conservation efforts. For instance, PhD student Nattanit Yiamthaisong utilizes the bank's resources to study how temperature influences germination, applying these findings to forest restoration projects at Chiang Mai University.
The preservation process is rigorous. Seed Curator Sian McCabe oversees a workflow where specimens are dried, cleaned, and x-rayed before being secured in underground vaults. Fieldwork is equally precise; experts like Ted Chapman and Isabel Negri demonstrate how to harvest wild seeds, such as yellow rattle, while ensuring that enough remains in the environment to prevent ecological disruption.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: The Present: Inside the world’s largest seed bank
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