A group of scientists concluded that: seaweed they can be one Food incredibly durable that could save humanity from starvation in the event of a nuclear war. Study published in the journal Future of the World, reveals that seaweed is resilient enough to survive and thrive in tropical oceans even after a nuclear conflict. The report’s authors are researchers from the Alliance to Feed the World During Disasters and North American and Philippine universities.
Researchers created a model based on algae Gracilaria tikvahiaeIt is commonly known as red grass. Using climate data from a hypothetical nuclear winter, They simulated the growth that algae would experience in such an extremely negative scenario.
According to the results obtained, if a nuclear war breaks out and thousands of missiles are fired at the planet, 150 Teragrams (Tg) of soot will be thrown into the atmosphere, which means It would block sunlight for years.
But still, researchers discovered: There would be enough sunlight left for the algae to photosynthesize and grow.. The black carbon that would remain in the atmosphere would not prevent them from surviving.
They will feed 45 percent of humanity
Seaweed, if the necessary extension to produce them is enabled Could meet 45 percent of global food demand after just nine months of intensive production.
“Investing in the construction of seaweed farms Preventing global famine in scenarios of sudden decrease in sunlight, “This potentially prevents a significant number of deaths from starvation,” said David Denkenberger, associate professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Canterbury in England.
But another recent study offers a different perspective on the impact of nuclear war and its dire consequences on all life on Earth, including the destruction of marine life.
The authors simulated the climate effects of nuclear wars between the United States, Russia and India-Pakistan and said the result would be global cooling as sea ice engulfs many coastal communities.
According to this study, the ocean’s recovery will be very slow: decades at the surface and hundreds of years in the deepest regions; In colder waters such as the Arctic, this period will reach thousands of years. In addition, researchers point out that marine ecosystems will not only be deeply affected by the initial impact of nuclear war, but will also worsen with the new state of the oceans, affecting the global ecosystem.
A nutritious and healthy taste
Seaweed, often eaten in salads or dried food wrappersThey are rich in proteins, minerals, vitamins, essential amino acids and fatty acids.
UP-MSI professor and co-author of the study Michael Roleda told the SciDev.Net portal that after a nuclear war, algae will be suitable for human consumption. And this is despite the fact that they naturally absorb pollutants from the environment, these toxic substances can be reduced to safe levels.
“For example, post-harvest processing and pre-consumer preparations such as washing and drying, The enzymatic reaction and boiling or cooking, among others, significantly reduce the concentration of iodine and heavy metals in the algae.“, he stated.
Seaweed production is therefore a lifeline for many families living in poor coastal communities in low-income countries. These organisms are preserved underwater and can grow faster than any other known agricultural crop.
In fact, according to the 2021 report of the Food and Agriculture Organization, Farmed seaweed production in Asia accounts for 97% of the 34.7 million tonnes produced worldwide. In addition to being consumed as food, they are also used as food additives in animals and cosmetics.
Reference work: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2023EF003710
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