HAYWARDS HEATH, England (AP) — Deep underground beneath the Sussex countryside in southern England, millions of seeds are kept frozen in a vault built to withstand fire, flooding, and any other disaster.

The Millennium Seed Bank at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew holds more than 2.5 billion wild plant seeds from around 40,000 species. The seeds are stored in sealed glass jars and foil packets, and are preserved in temperatures of minus 20 degrees Celsius ( minus 4 Fahrenheit) to guard against extinction.

Researchers describe it as one of the most biodiverse places on Earth — a secure archive of the world’s flora intended to protect its contents for centuries.

Opened in 2000 by King Charles III, then the Prince of Wales, the facility is now marking its 25th anniversary.

The king, who has

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