Taking doomsday prepped to a whole new level.

Straight out of a sci-fi tale, a ‘doomsday’ vault is now open for everyone to explore virtually.

This vault is co-owned by the Norwegian government and is embedded on a mountainside in Spitsbergen, part of Norway’s Svalbard archipelago. It’s quite remote but worth the interest it’s been getting.

However, you don’t have to worry about the journey as you can now take a virtual tour inside the building, adding a touch of mystery to this fascinating place.

Officially known as the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, this facility shelters an impressive 1,214,827 seed samples from countries around the world. It’s built to store even more, so it could potentially hold millions of samples.

The non-profit Crop Trust states that the aim is to safeguard as many of the unique crop genetic materials as possible. This means protecting various crop species from disappearing in events like natural disasters or wars.

Although social media has been buzzing about it recently, this vault has been around since 2008, inaugurated following the destruction of the Aleppo seed bank amid the Syrian civil war.

The vault accepts new seeds three times a year, making it increasingly crucial, especially with the growing threat of climate change affecting plant species.

While the vault is not open to the public, sparking numerous conspiracy theories about what lies within, it certainly has an aura of intrigue. The entrance stands out, leading to a series of metal doors that safeguard the precious samples.

Now, thanks to the virtual tour, you can put your curiosity to rest and explore the vault yourself. Starting with a long tunnel, the tour guides you to three seed chambers. Each chamber holds nearly 3,000 seed boxes, protected in aluminum airtight bags and neatly arranged by country.

Through the virtual experience, you can click on the countries to discover more about their agricultural contributions.

The vault’s design ensures it stands the test of time, protecting the seeds by embedding them deep within the permafrost. This setup promises to keep seeds safe indefinitely. However, even Svalbard faces the whims of changing weather.

Back in 2017, a heatwave melted the surrounding ice, causing the vault’s entrance to flood. Thankfully, the seeds were not harmed. Samples are periodically refreshed every few decades as a precaution.

To illustrate just how cold it is up there, the vault’s air-conditioning is set to -18°C. If the cooling system ever fails, it is said it would take hundreds of years for the interior temperature to reach above zero.