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Scientists have discovered a surprising alternate solid food source that could save a vast number of lives in the backwash of a catastrophic nuclear war — seaweed .
A atomic war would absorb our planet into a cryptical atomic wintertime . In the sorry - case scenario , a nuclear exchange between the U.S. and Russia ( which together possess nearly90 % of the world ’s nuclear weapon ) could eject up to 165 million tons ( 150 million measured gobs ) of soot intoEarth’satmosphere , concentrate surface temperatures by 16 degrees Fahrenheit ( 9 degrees Celsius ) and sending globalcalorieproduction plummetingby as much as 90 % .
An image of the Castle Bravo nuclear detonation.
But in a new survey , scientists found that within nine to 14 months of nuclear state of war , vast arrays of kelp grown on circle in the Gulf of Mexico and across the easterly seaside could be harvested — help to keep up to 1.2 billion human fed
At their fullest extent , the seaweed farm would exchange 15 % of the food currently consumed by humans , while also providing 50 % of current biofuel production and 10 % of fauna provender . The research worker release their findings Jan. 9 in the journalEarth ’s Future .
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An aerial photo of a seaweed farm in Indonesia.
" Over 2 billion mass would be in danger of starving after a moderate India - Pakistan nuclear war and 5 billion citizenry after a U.S.-Russa nuclear war , " Centennial State - authorCheryl Harrison , an assistant professor of oceanography and coastal science at Louisiana State University , distinguish Live Science . " Thus , there is a motive for exploration of substitute foods . "
The most straightaway event of a nuclear warfare , at least for those in a targeted area , are incineration adopt by actinotherapy poisoning for those in smother areas . These gruesome effects have been known since the U.S. unload the atomic bomb " Little Boy " on the Nipponese city of Hiroshima on Aug. 6 . 1945 .
The single bomb , as much as five times smaller in fruit than the thermonuclear bombs in existing arsenals , killed anestimated 140,000 peoplewithin five months and destruct or severely damagedmore than 60,000of the city ’s just about 90,000 buildings .
Yet potentially the most deadly resultant of even a small - ordered series atomic war is the encroachment it would have on agriculture . In the Last Day scenario of " atomic winter , " radioactive dust and smoke would halt out a significant portion of the Lord’s Day ’s luminousness . This would do temperatures to drop , smothering many of the world ’s crop and in all likelihood make a global famine that could vote down billions of masses .
In aprevious survey , the researchers pattern the apocalyptical upshot of a atomic war . Now , to investigate how some people might pull round , the scientists have modeled crop growth in environs that would n’t see temperatures drop so precipitously — tropical oceans .
" The ocean , and water in universal , has mellow specific heat than land , so computer memory more estrus , and it is harder to ignite up and cool down down . This is why radiator lick so well , they stash away heat and diversify it over time , " Harrison said . " So , the ocean is a great place to target for alternative food for thought production , as opposed to greenhouses on land , which would need a pot of heating in a time when fuel would be in high demand . "
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The scientist ' model revealed that kelp farms would n’t just live but flourish and expand as surface temperatures dropped . This is because colder breeze would drive surface water to sink more , increasing the circulation of nutrient - fat weewee up from the depths to replace it .
As the iodine witness in seaweed can be toxic to humans at mellow quantities , the uses for kelp grown in farms would primarily be indirect , the investigator aver . But by using it to bung animals and produce biofuels , it would free up the surviving arable land for other crop . This could serve humanity weather a nuclear winter until , decades subsequently , the climate begins to recover .
And kelp is n’t just at bridge player in the outcome of a atomic winter : It could also be a life line follow other gap to global food systems , such as massive asteroid impingement or gigantic volcanic eruptions . For example , the 1816 eruption of Indonesia ’s Mount Tambora led to crop failures and food for thought shortages across the Northern Hemisphere — becoming known as the " Year Without Summer . "
" Throughout history , prominent eruptions have caused shortage both regionally and globally , " Harrison said . " Either way , we need a plan to feed ourselves in these sudden sunlight simplification scenario . "
