After the apocalypse: The Arctic vault that could keep mankind alive
The Global Seed Vault in Svalbard, Norway, looks like a Bond villain's lair, but its contents could help humanity recover from a major disaster.
Gul Tuysuz/CNN
Svalbard, midway between Norway and the North Pole, was chosen as the location because it is geologically stable, and remote but accessible.
Christian Streib/CNN
Behind a heavy metal door, millions and millions of seeds have been deposited for safe keeping.
Gul Tuysuz/CNN
The seeds are packed into foil bags and locked into crates which can only be reopened by the gene bank which sent them to the vault.
Gul Tuysuz/CNN
The vault is carved out of the side of a mountain -- the icy permafrost surrounding it functions like a natural freezer, so even if the power fails, it will stay cold.
Gul Tuysuz/CNN
The seeds represent a diverse collection of crops from across the globe, from maize, wheat and barley to lettuce and potatoes.