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The KEO programme is a volunteer-funded project that aims to send a satelite, bearing messages encoded on DVD, out into space. In 50,000 years' time the satelite will (if all goes well) return to earth, where an Aurora Borealis-like effect will attract the attention of the future population of Earth to its re-entry.
It's an ambitious project, but it seems just about feasible.
It will have on it an encyclopaedian collection of knowledge dubbed a "contemporary Library of Alexandria", as well as a drop of human blood, a sample of air, sea water and earth, photographs of people from all cultures, and several other items.
Most interesting, however, is its collection of messages; it aims to include a message from every person on earth, giving each a space of up to 6000 characters to express whatever they like, without any censorship. Including you. (N.B. they do read the messages and publish the ones that they like on their website, although you don't have to give your name.)
Do you want to send a message to people 50,000 years in the future?
If so, what will you write about?
You've got a while to think about what to write; they don't intend to finish collecting messages until December 31st, 2006, with the satelite due to be launched in 2007 or 2008.
It's an ambitious project, but it seems just about feasible.
It will have on it an encyclopaedian collection of knowledge dubbed a "contemporary Library of Alexandria", as well as a drop of human blood, a sample of air, sea water and earth, photographs of people from all cultures, and several other items.
Most interesting, however, is its collection of messages; it aims to include a message from every person on earth, giving each a space of up to 6000 characters to express whatever they like, without any censorship. Including you. (N.B. they do read the messages and publish the ones that they like on their website, although you don't have to give your name.)
Do you want to send a message to people 50,000 years in the future?
If so, what will you write about?
You've got a while to think about what to write; they don't intend to finish collecting messages until December 31st, 2006, with the satelite due to be launched in 2007 or 2008.
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Hmmm...
I'm headed over there !
~Alex
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It is hard enough to find a 5.25" floppy drive now (I hope you saved the one in that computer, by the way)
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People in 50,000 years' time had better be pretty smart!
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Great, so in fifty thousand years time the people (or whatever) of Earth will have an LJ friends list 6 billion entries long inflicted on them. Joy.
Human nature being what it is they'll probably get one every 25 years or so. The idea of the time capsule is not new. Hey, guess what? A couple of years ago Voyager left the Solar System! (Officially. I think it still has to get past the cometary fringe.) What a worthwhile investment that was!
BTW how are they going to get personal messages from the billion or so people in China and the millions starving in third world countries? I hope they at least get a chocolate bar for taking part.