seed bank
More Than Half of Wild Coffee Species Are at Risk of Extinction
Wild coffee is not normally harvested, but it is crucial to the sustainability of cultivated varieties like Arabica and Rustica.
This Agronomist Is Safeguarding the World’s Seeds
Åsmund Asdal coordinates with gene banks to preserve thousands of seed varieties in a safely guarded Nordic vault.
Inside the Huge Fridge of Seeds That Could Save Us All from Starvation
The Crop Wild Relatives Project’s seed bank in West Sussex stores samples of staple crops from around the world. Its aim is to protect them for future generations against drought, flooding, and other effects of climate change.
The ‘Doomsday’ Seed Vault Might Not Survive Global Warming
Hidden inside an Arctic mountain, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault stores millions of plant samples. But after unexpected flooding last year, efforts to protect the food store have been stepped up.
Seed Researchers Just Saved the Gin and Tonic from Extinction
Thanks to a seed-banking project from the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, juniper—one of the main ingredients in gin—is now safe from the fungal disease that had threatened to wipe it out.
Motherboard's Best Documentaries of 2016
Cyborg beetles, mind-controlled bionic arms, and the greatest moments in hacking history.