The KEO project. Too cool. (1 Viewer)

[Ricardo C]

http://www.keo.org/uk/pages/default.html

In 2006, UNESCO will launch the satellite KEO, a "time capsule" of the human civilization, which will orbit the planet for the next 50,000 years, before returning to Earth, so that our distant descendants may have access to detailed information about us. In addition to encyclopedic information about our world, KEO will carry written messages from any human being who cares to send one.

I just found out about this and thought I'd pass it along. Addressing a message to the human race 500 centuries from now (assuming humanity still exists that far into the future) is rather odd, but also very cool

 

[Ted Lee]

hmm...that's kinda neat. i may have to think about something to say. it would be neat if they gave info about any "notable" people who contributed.

 

[Ricardo C]

According to the FAQ, the messages will be readable after the satellite is launched, but they will have been anonymized.

 

[Kirk Gunn]

I'd say:

Lindsay Lohan is SOOOOOO hot !


(just my little tribute to the state of our society...)

 

[Holadem]

50,000 years?

My guess is anything sent up there for that long will be completely unreadable for the average person 500 centuries for now. They will need some sort of archeologist to decipher it.

If the message is in electronic form, an archive of the technology used to retrieve the data will have to be enclosed within the satellite. But then again, that archive would be stored using current languages and electronic conventions, which may completely disappear 500 centuries from now, unless they are updated here on earth on a regular basis...

Lots of interesting implications!

--
H

 

[Ricardo C]

This guy I know sent this message:

"What, I haven't destroyed Earth yet? DAMMIT!!"

Holadem, the info is going to be packed in radiation-resistant DVDs, and instructions will be included to assemble a DVD reader. The instructions will be in some sort of code, not sure if they'll also include modern languages. Then again, chances are our current languages will never be forgotten completely, even if they stop being spoken. We already preserve massive amounts of information, a practice that'll only grow bigger and better as technology advances.

I wonder, though, will future generations actuallyleave KEO alone? I mean, the thing's not going anywhere, it's gonna be orbiting Earth. In a couple hundred years some wiseass at NASA (or whatever NASA becomes) will say "what the hell, let's go retrieve that thing", most likely.

 

[Dave Poehlman]

It's funny, Strongbad was just talking about what would be in his time capsule this week:

http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail115.html

(be sure to click on the words "cassette tape" at the end. )

 

[Jon Bell]

I wonder if the readers of those messages will be damn dirty apes.

 

[Daren Welsh]

So they're going to archive messages like "OMG u r so gay I m 1337 and h4x0r!!1" and send them into space.... wow. Didn't they do that with the last Mars probe?

 

[Mary M S]

Cellar Door

 

[Jay Taylor]

Maybe I should tell them where I buried my ex-wife.