As the world’s population continues to increase, the United Nations has estimated that the amount of crops that are currently produced will be insufficient to meet the associated rising food demand. The organization has also speculated that by 2050, many of the world’s poorest nations will be unable to feed the majority of their citizens. A collaboration between scientists at The University of Illinois and The University of California, Berkeley, has shown that it may be possible to create plants that will produce a greater output, and help feed these populations. The researchers genetically modified organisms to improve the rate at which they photosynthesize, reducing their recovery time and increasing their yield.
Photosynthesis is the method by which plants use carbon dioxide and sunlight to produce sugars and oxygen. Like animals, they are susceptible to sun damage but are able to shield themselves using a process known as nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ). After ideal conditions for photosynthesis resume, these plants can take up to 1/2 an hour to relax the NPQ process. During this period, light energy is lost as heat. Depending on the temperature and the type of plant, this may result in a decrease in productivity by up to 30%. The researchers aimed to devise a method which would cause the plants to reduce the amount of time taken to relax NPQ and, therefore, increase their efficiency.
The team were able to identify three proteins that are responsible for stopping NPQ. They speculated that plants with increased numbers of these proteins would be able to relax the process faster. The theory was tested using tobacco, because of the ease with which these plants are transformed and their ability to produce the layers of leaves necessary. Those that had additional proteins added weighed between 14% and 20% more than other tobacco plants. Many crops such as rice, soybeans and wheat, also produce layers. This suggests that the same method can be applied to these foods, increasing their yield. Even though the crops would be more difficult to modify, researchers are confident that this next step in the experiment can be achieved fairly quickly.
Once it has accomplished, both lab tests and field experiments will need to be performed to determine how the modified plants will respond to stresses, such as droughts and floods. After this the technology will be ready for use on a large scale basis and may be given to farmers, and other agricultural producers. Researchers not associated with the experiment also believe that this modification may be the beginning of the second ‘green revolution,’ and would significantly reduce world hunger.
The site for the seed bank was chosen for a number of reasons, including the fact there the area has a minimal amount of tectonic activity. It is also surrounded by permafrost, which will aid in the preservation of the seeds. Another major factor was its height, 130m above sea level, which would allow the vault to remain dry in the event of the surrounding ice caps melting. This was not expected to take place for at least several decades, however. Unfortunately, with global warming accelerating at an alarming rate, the vault’s capabilities have already been put to the test.
The area surrounding the vault is currently one of the most susceptible to the dangers of global warming, as the temperatures in the Arctic rise quicker than the rest of the world. These dangers are increasing at an alarming rate, with 2016 being the hottest year to date and 2017 expected to surpass it. Even though the vault’s structure has proven to be safe for the seeds’ preservation, Norway is making improvements to the surrounding area to ensure that any water surrounding it will drain away properly. They have emphasized that these seeds are being preserved to benefit the entire world, and need to be protected at all costs. The country has also emphasized the need for worldwide changes to minimize the drastic acceleration of global warming.
end with ‘The Grand Finale.’ This event is scheduled to incorporate 22 deep dives between the planet’s clouds and innermost ring, ending with a massive plunge directly into its atmosphere.
The process of freezing the body begins as soon as possible after death to minimize potential brain damage. It is first cooled in an ice bath to gradually reduce its temperature, and in some cases CPR may be administered to prevent the death of brain cells. The blood is then drained from the person’s system and replaced with an anti-freeze fluid, to prevent harmful crystals from forming within the blood. After this initial process, it is packed in ice and transferred to a holding facility in either the United States or Russia.
Acclaimed neuroscientist, Dr. Sergio Canavero, has recently announced that the world’s first human head transplant will be attempted within the next 10 months. The operation will take place on a Chinese citizen, in Harbin, China, who will be the recipient of a donor body. Its success will also lead to even greater advances, as the team will then attempt to reawaken the first frozen head. Canavero will remove the brain from a cryogenically frozen head and transplant it in a donor body, resulting in the first technologically assisted human resurrection.
R. E. KEARNEY 