In 1878, a wooden schooner named the James R. Bentley set sail from Chicago to Buffalo, New York. But strong winds and rough waters damaged the ship, and it sank to the bottom of Lake Huron. The crew was saved, but the ship’s cargo—a large shipment of rye—sank with it. In the years since the shipwreck, that particular variety of rye has faded out of existence.
Now, almost 150 years later, a Michigan-based team is trying to bring the long-lost rye back to life. They dove to the shipwreck, retrieved a tube full of seeds, and are planning to use gene technology to recreate the rye variety. Their goal is to encourage farmers to grow it, so that distillers can use it to make whiskey.
SciFri producer Kathleen Davis talks with Dr. Eric Olson, professor of wheat breeding and genetics at Michigan State University, and Chad Munger, founder and CEO of Mammoth Distilling.
Further Reading
- Learn more about researchers’ plans for the shipwrecked rye via MSU Today.
- Find out how almonds helped solve the mystery of a 2,000-year-old shipwreck off the coast of Cyrpus via Smithsonian Magazine.
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Segment Guests
Chad Munger
Chad Munger is founder and CEO of Mammoth Distilling in Michigan.
Eric Olson
Dr. Eric Olson is a professor of Wheat Breeding and Genetics at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan.
Segment Transcript
The transcript of this segment is being processed. It will be available within one week after the show airs.
Meet the Producer
About Kathleen Davis
@katjacquelineKathleen Davis is a producer and fill-in host at Science Friday, which means she spends her weeks researching, writing, editing, and sometimes talking into a microphone. She’s always eager to talk about freshwater lakes and Coney Island diners.