culture

‘The Four Top’: CRISPR Over GMOs? | Endangered Foods | Banking Seeds In Vaults

By Katherine Cole (OPB)
Sept. 11, 2017 1 p.m.
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Bananas are among the many endangered plant species millions of humans consume on a daily basis.

Bananas are among the many endangered plant species millions of humans consume on a daily basis.

Mike Dorner/Unsplash

Have you heard about the gene-editing breakthrough called CRISPR? It might wipe out cancer and it also might change the face of agriculture as we know it.

Next, most enlightened foodies don't realize that they consume imperiled species every day. Bananas, for example, might soon disappear from supermarkets. Which everyday grocery items are most endangered?

Finally, what is the Global Seed Vault — also known as "The Doomsday Vault" — and why is it buried in a layer of permafrost in the Arctic Circle? Turns out it's one of many seed banks and vaults on our planet that will give greens back when armageddon arrives.

Meet our panelists: Virginia Gewin is a journalist covering food security and crop diversity for publications such as Nature, Science and Modern Farmer; Tove Danovich is a journalist covering food and sustainability for publications such as Eater, Bon Appétit, The Atlantic, Fast Company and NPR; Heather Arndt Anderson is a food historian, botanist and author; Our host is Katherine Cole.


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THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:
THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:
THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR: