oh, i’m in love with this! the story behind this message is that we’re storing a lot of radioactive waste in an isolation plant in new mexico and we need to tell future humans: ‘we buried something dangerous here, don’t disturb it or you’ll die. this place should be left alone for 10,000 years. tell future generations as well.’ and this raises several problems: how do you explain contemporary time conventions to future humans so they understand what ‘10,000 years’ means, and starting from when? how do you account for the fact that we have no idea what level of technological development future humans will have? will they still understand any of the languages we speak today? and my absolute favorite: how do you combat humans’ natural tendency to immediately go do the thing they were just told not to do?
so in 1993 a report was developed by two panels of materials science experts, linguists, anthropologists, architects, geologists and astronomers to create a marking system for the site. they proposed different levels of messages to be placed in the area. and the language part of the report is amazing because they’re really trying to cover everything. my favorite parts:
should we just design the whole structure to look ominous and scary and not put any messages on it? no, because when has that ever stopped humans from doing anything.
but also some facial expressions are universal and have been basically since we’ve been around, so there should be pictographs of faces conveying horror and sickness, as well as ‘what is here is dangerous and repulsive to us.’
we have to explain what we buried here and what would happen if they went looking, because if we don’t they’ll absolutely go looking. so the expert panel suggested including both a detailed message where we explain in scientific terms what radioactivity is, and one that says: ‘the danger is to the body, and it can kill. the form of the danger is an emanation of energy.’
star maps will be used to convey the passage of time, and we’re including instructions on what they mean and how to use them.
we have to explain that this fancy structure isn’t actually hiding anything interesting. i.e. the tomb of some great leader that’s filled with treasure. hence the part of the message that says: 'this place is not a place of honor. no highly esteemed deed is commemorated here. nothing valued is here.‘
but also we shouldn’t make it not interesting because there’s a lot of potential in designing the site so it develops deep cultural significance for future humans:
‘a monumental, intellectually stimulating system would enhance performance with higher probability than would a less energetic design based on minimal investment, thought at creativity. an oral tradition tethered to the marker system would emphasize (1) that it was designed to be the world’s longest lasting human artifact, (2) that it was intended as a gift to guard the health of future generations, and (3) that it is the world’s largest celestial ‘clock’ marking the millennia. hyperbole and altruism are strong themes in the world’s folk tales, songs and myths.’
and finally, part of the message: 'we have found it extremely difficult to imagine all the forms of human society and available technology that over the next 10,000 years might give people the desire and ability to intrude into the repository level and thus potentially bring great harm to themselves. nevertheless, we have done the best we can in the design of a marker system that will survive over this period, that will be understood by those who encounter it, and that will be effective in countering their natural curiosity to dig at such a uniquely marked and fascinating place.’
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