Scientists Found One Food That Will Save Humanity in the Event of an Apocalyptic Nuclear War
Even the mere thought of a nuclear war sends shivers down one’s spine but scientists come prepared. New research has discovered an alternative source of food that billions of humans can rely upon in the aftermath of a devastating nuclear war that could send the planet into a toppling calorie production. Seaweeds, particularly kelp farms harvested in ropes at the Gulf of Mexico and across the Eastern seaboard can save the human race from getting wiped from the face of the Earth, according to a study published in the journal Earth’s Future.
One of the many drastic implications of a nuclear war is an unprecedented winter due to the deposition of tonnes of soot into the atmosphere. The report estimates that a nuclear exchange between the U.S. and Russia, the two most powerful countries with 90% of nuclear weapons, could eject up to 165 million tons of soot and reduce surface temperatures by 16 degrees Fahrenheit. The falling temperatures in addition to the economic setback would put humankind in a compromised position.
"Over 2 billion people would be in danger of starvation after a moderate India-Pakistan nuclear war and 5 billion people after a U.S.-Russa nuclear war. Thus, there is a need for exploration of alternative foods,” co-author and assistant professor of oceanography and coastal sciences at Louisiana State University, Cheryl Harrison told Live Science. Hence, harvesting and consumption of kelps would feed 1.2 billion people within nine to 14 months of a nuclear war. The seaweed farms could serve a greater purpose than simply feeding humans, providing 50% of biofuel production and 10% of animal fodder. Seaweed could also potentially replace 15% of food in the current dynamic.
The instance of the U.S. dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima-Nagasaki, Japan in August 1945 during World War II remains a testament to what these nuclear bombs, five times the size of an atomic one, can do. Enduring radiation and destruction of the environment makes the locations inhabitable with children still born with genetic disorders in the area. However, the study estimated that the most lethal impact would be on agriculture. The ‘nuclear winter’ that follows would fill the atmosphere with radioactive dust and smoke, shielding out most of the sunlight further resulting in colder temperatures. This would affect most of the crops and farms upon which most of the world depends for food. As a result, a mass famine would be expected impacting billions across the world.
Researchers have found yet another alternative for the inhabitable conditions on land to grow agriculture in a different study. The falling temperatures could be mitigated in oceans as the study theorized that water bodies trap and store heat, thus, restricting frequent temperature changes. "So, the ocean is a great place to target for alternative food production, as opposed to greenhouses on land, which would need a lot of heating in a time when fuel would be in high demand,” Harrison explained. In turn, the kelp farms would thrive with the colder temperatures on land since it would force surface water to sink and make room for nutrient-rich water from the depths to move up.