World's Coldest Vault: Svalbard's Global Seed Bank Guards Earth's Food Future

• The Global Seed Vault, located deep inside a frozen mountain on Spitsbergen island in Norway's Svalbard region, safeguards over 1.2 million seeds from nearly every country.
• Often called the "Doomsday Vault," it serves as Earth's backup for food, protecting crop varieties from disasters, wars, and climate change.
• Carved 120 meters into solid rock, the vault maintains a constant -18°C temperature, naturally preserved by permafrost, ensuring seed viability for centuries.
• Owned by the Norwegian government, it functions as a secure locker; depositors retain ownership of their seeds, which are only retrieved in emergencies.
• Currently holding 642 million seeds, with a capacity for 2.5 billion, it includes grains (69%), legumes (9%), and other plants, with India being the largest contributor.

Why It Matters: Svalbard's Global Seed Vault is humanity's ultimate food backup, preserving biodiversity against future crises.