Scientists say they've discovered a new food source that could save humanity in the event of nuclear war (kelp!)

Daily Mail ^ | 1-31-24 | MATTHEW PHELAN

[dynachrome]

With war expanding in the Middle East, Russia's invasion of Ukraine still raging and China threatening to invade Taiwan, the world has arguably not been closer to the brink of nuclear war in generations.

Researchers have begun sounding the alarm once again about the risks of a nuclear winter: picture an Earth hidden from the sun by as much as 165 million tons of soot and freezing 16 degrees Fahrenheit down from global mean temperatures.

All-out nuclear war could shrivel up harvests worldwide, reducing global calorie production by 90 percent according to agricultural and atmospheric scientists.

But an international team of researchers has found a briny, savory answer: vast seaweed farms, strung along the ocean's surface with ropes and buoys, could help save as much as 1.2 billion lives.

[dynachrome]

Could grow twice as mucch near Fukushima.

[NorthMountain]

nuclear winter

This again???

Global Cooling!!! No! It's Global Warming!!!!

Climate Change!!!!

Nuclear Winter!!!!

Oh NOOOOOOOOoooooooooooo!!!!

When in danger or in doubt,
Run in circles, scream and shout!

[know.your.why]

GET YOURS NOW!!!

[gundog]

My mom used to make pickles out of it. I may have a 50 year old jar of them. Not a fan.

[V_TWIN]

Well, it DOES look delish!

[V_TWIN]

After ANY Ernest T. Bass episode, the pickle one is right up there.

I can appreciate it because I think pickles are absolutely disgusting. 🤢

[married21]

A diet of sushi wrappers. Yum.

[Carl Vehse]

From the article, the scientists include "Dr. Jehn, the data science lead for the Colorado-based Alliance to Feed the Earth in Disasters (ALLFED), collaborated with Louisiana State University's Department of Ocean and Coastal Science, one German astrophysicist, and scientists from both Texas and the Philippines on the project."

And just who do these scientists think will be doing the commercial kelp harvesting, processing, and kelp food distribution following a nuclear war? Also who will build the sailboats (and approve the licenses) required to harvest the kelp with the fuel industry essentially destroyed?

[gundog]

I like cucumber pickles. If the kelp pickles had been any good, I’d probably be making them, today.

[Qwapisking]

you just know some greenie will claim that sailboats are harmful to the environment because, you know, they use air.

[mass55th]

Kelp has been a food, and medicine source for a millennia. It has also been used in the production of fishing line, and canoes. Scientists are also now looking at its potential as a biofuel.

[dfwgator]

[Rennes Templar]

Kelp powder on popcorn is actually quite tasty.

[Openurmind]

Kelp is very high in Potassium iodide. It negates the effect of radiation on the thyroid. It is what they give folks to prevent or help with radiation poisoning.

[NorthMountain]

[alloysteel]

Wouldn’t a diet high in kelp lead to hyperthyroidism? This is a condition caused by too much iodine in the diet, and kelp is touted as the best way to obtain that iodine. But too much of anything is just as bad as too little of that which is absolutely required.

There are no final one-word answers for anything.

[LeonardFMason]

Soylent Green

[thinden]

wouldn’t this envirocide the fish?

[gundog]

There was some dried kelp in the stores that I liked.

[gundog]

The kelp farms would likely create new habitat where there was none.