In the event of catastrophic events that prevent solar energy from reaching our planet, seaweed fields could be a lifesaver for humanity. Study authors from the University of Canterbury in the United Kingdom and other countries noted that a similar crisis could arise as a result of a global nuclear war. His work has been published in scientific journals magazine Future of the Earth (EF).
Seaweed is rich in nutrients and provides a livelihood to coastal communities in many low-income countries.
“Investing in the construction of seaweed farms could prevent global famine in scenarios where sunlight is severely reduced and potentially prevent significant human losses from food shortages,” said David Denkenberger, one of the authors of the paper.
The researchers created a model based on the red seaweed Gracilaria tikvahiae. Using existing nuclear winter climate data, they modeled the development of these plants after the disaster.
According to the authors, if thousands of nuclear warheads collided, approximately 150 million tons of soot could be released into the atmosphere, blocking sunlight for years. However, the remaining light will be enough for the seaweed to photosynthesize even if there is black carbon in the air.
Given optimum production and preparation space, seaweed could meet 45% of global food demand with just nine months of intensive production.
However, the researchers also noted that seaweed meals cannot constitute more than 15% of the diet due to its high iodine content.
Beyond the scenario of an all-out nuclear war, scientists say algae are a viable contribution to global food security in peacetime and in the event of limited nuclear conflicts or volcanic eruptions.
Previous scientists described Climatic consequences of nuclear change.