Communicating with the Distant Future: Musings on an Epochal Code

The_Minister

http://www.s2r.biz/s2rpapers/papers-Communication_w.pdf
A short, easy to read article general introduction to some of the problems that face scientists trying to preserve information for the generations.

Khannie

Interesting stuff. I'd come across the notion before and the example given was the 5 1/4 inch disks from the 80's. How much information was lost when they were phased out. Even if you still had the disk, how the hell would you read from it? Or would the data still be intact on it? (probably not) Same now applies to the 3.5 inch disks from the 90's and early part of this decade.

The_Minister

It will be a shame if we start loosing information just because we don't know how to store it.

I've always thought we should build a little auto-computer - containing all our knowledge, and a crash-course in English, and bury somewhere, so that if civilisation dies it can be found and our society recreated.

gerky

The_Minister wrote: »

It will be a shame if we start loosing information just because we don't know how to store it.

I've always thought we should build a little auto-computer - containing all our knowledge, and a crash-course in English, and bury somewhere, so that if civilisation dies it can be found and our society recreated.

I kinda agree even if it was used for nothing else other than for a full historical record sort of like a modern style time capsule, it could be done somewhat like the Svalbard seed vault.

fintonie

but the way its going information will be retrievable even if it is not there in the visual sense, it wont be long now till we have our first humans in space for the soul purpose of traveling the universe, stem cell treatment will make this possible and the switching off of certain genes which would no longer be required in space over a period of time of course.

Khannie

The_Minister wrote: »

I've always thought we should build a little auto-computer - containing all our knowledge, and a crash-course in English, and bury somewhere, so that if civilisation dies it can be found and our society recreated.

I think they did something like that with the two voyager probes. Stuck a laserdisc of some sorts on it and instructions on how to build a reader. I think.

/me googles

edit: Not quite a laserdisc, but a selection of images and sounds.....

link

edit: This image describes the cover and how it is intended to be decoded. Absolute genius IMO.

tbh

you also have the question as to how to send a message when you don't know what methods the recipients use to communicate. For example, radioactive waste can remain toxic for 10,000 years. How do we know that people (if there are any around then) will still use letters and numbers to communicate? What if they see the radioactive symbol and assume it's an Angel?

When we see cave paintings from 10,000 ago, we can appreciate what they are but not necessarily the message they convey, if any.
So, in the case of radioactive waste, which may be uncovered by future generations looking for water, or building transportation tunnels or whatever, how do we make sure that they understand the message?

This place is a message… and part of a system of messages… pay attention to it!
Sending this message was important to us. We considered ourselves to be a powerful culture.

This place is not a place of honor…no highly esteemed deed is commemorated here… nothing valued is here.

What is here is dangerous and repulsive to us. This message is a warning about danger.

The danger is in a particular location… it increases toward a center… the center of danger is here… of a particular size and shape, and below us.

The danger is still present, in your time, as it was in ours.

The danger is to the body, and it can kill.

The form of the danger is an emanation of energy.

The danger is unleashed only if you substantially disturb this place physically. This place is best shunned and left uninhabited.


The WIPP (Waste Isolation Pilot Plant) in the US uses the following techniques:

Berm
A large earthen berm will edge the surface “footprint” of the underground disposal facility, measuring 2,858 feet x 2,354 feet. The berm’s base is 100 feet wide; it reaches 33 feet high and is sloped at an angle to best minimize the effects of erosion.
Buried in the berm will be specially configured metal objects designed to reflect radar. A total of 128 of these objects placed 294 feet apart around the footprint perimeter will provide a unique radar signature for the berm. Permanent magnets also will be buried to provide a distinctive magnetic signature.

Perimeter monuments
Granite monuments, 25 feet high, will stand along two perimeters at the WIPP site: the boundary of the four-square-mile controlled area, and just inside the berm surrounding the repository’s 120-acre footprint.
Each monument will be made of 20 tons of solid materials. The monuments will display engraved messages in seven languages with warnings and information about the buried waste.

Information center
The information center will be a 40-foot x 32-foot x 15-foot high surface structure that sits in the center of the repository footprint. Its granite interior and exterior walls will be engraved with many messages, some in words and some in pictures. It has no roof, in order to provide natural lighting.

Storage rooms
Two rooms will store the same information as the surface information center. Neither room will be visible.
One will be covered by the footprint berm, and the other will be buried 20 feet below the surface just outside of the berm. Each will have a two-foot in diameter, plugged access hole in one wall.
The external and internal walls, floor and roof will be solid granite slabs. The room under the berm will be referenced in the information center; the existence of the buried room will not be identified anywhere on site, but it will be documented in archives at other locations.

Buried markers
Small warning markers will be randomly buried two to six feet deep throughout the repository footprint, in the berm, and in the shaft sealing system. These nine-inch-diameter discs will be made of granite, aluminum oxide, and fired clay. Each will carry a warning message in one of seven languages.

Archives
Extensive WIPP records will be stored, controlled, and maintained in many locations around the world. The information will include data important to defining the location, design, content, and hazards associated with the WIPP. The volume of archived material will be so large that it would be impractical to
provide adequate space in any of the on-site components.



Now, imagine we found something like that today - how long do you think it would be before we'd dug down to see exactly what it is they were talking about?


(soz- just saw that was referenced in the link in op, but maybe interesting to flesh it out a bit more anyway)