Discussion

By Uri Weiner on May 12, 2023

Whatever media used, include he means to read it in the capsule.for exaple, leave an mp4 file and an mp4 player. The problem is with the energy source. We can't assume anything the electricity grid. But we can assume that solar lightcwill still be available. So the media player has to be able to use solar energy either directly, or as a recharging source.

By Joe Treacy on May 12, 2023

I’d suggest the top 100 or 1000 of humanity’s finest, most aspirational achievements. In fact, Frank’s avatar hosting a holographic walk-through of his astounding Museum of Printing would be #1 on that list. And a flip-book of screenshots from the walk-through, so in case the holography can’t be played, the lowly flip-book can come to the rescue.

By David Avery on May 12, 2023

Copy of today's New York Times - Printed on real parchment with real ink. This worked for the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Maybe a copy of the record that's on the Voyager Spacecraft.

By Noel Ward on May 12, 2023

First, the year 5000 is 3061 years from 1939. In my opinion, human society may not exist. And even if it does, what it would be like is total fantasy. It could be unimaginably advanced. Or hunter-gatherers living in tribes and caves. Or somewhere in between.

Second, come the year 5000, if there is a human society, would a time capsule from the year 1939 (or 2023) be of any interest? Bear in mind it may be a few hundred feet down in what we now call the Atlantic Ocean, and not necessarily accessible.

Third, the notion of the year 5,000 year, compared to 1939, is like us today finding relics from 1031 BCE. Interesting to paleontologists, but that’s it. It might be good for a minute on the news, if “news shows” still exist in the year 5000.

And print? I think not. That will be done within a century or two.

By Henry Hunt on May 12, 2023

Although it may not fit in most time capsules due to its size, it is still possible to include a type cabinet made of corten steel. This cabinet contains drawers filled with both serif and sans-serif leaded type ranging from 10 to 72 points, along with leading, stainless hardened chases, coins, and furniture. Additionally, a hand-operated Vandercook cylinder proofing press made from carbon-hardened steel, a laser-etched printing guidebook featuring ink and paper recipes, and Roman text, Eastern calligraphy, Sanskrit, and Egyptian symbols can be included. Finally, a special Hallmark card wishing the recipient good luck can also be added, signed by you Frank. After all they did dig up Egypt and China, among others.

By Noel Ward on May 13, 2023

Nice idea, Henry, but Egypt and China were "dug up" as you put it, in a time (19-20th centuries) when some form of ink on some kind of substrate still mattered as a means of communication. The works of Egypt and China were analog then, just as they are now. A "new" press and font collection stowed in a time capsule would be lovely artifacts in the year 5000, but nothing more.

We can no more envision the year 5000 (if it occurs) than people from 3000 years ago could envision 2023. As Arthur C, Clarke once noted, "Any sufficiently advanced technology would be indistinguishable from magic." For example, the capabilities of your cell phone would be unimaginable to someone from 1923 or probably 1963 and except for photos there would be no way to use it (or charge it!). Now dial it back 3000 years.

Or consider print (analog or digital), PDFs, laptops, TVs, cell phones, EVs, and A.I. in the year 5000. All would be primitive relics of a largely forgotten past and inhabit museums--assuming those still exist. Human nature doesn't change and few people today think much about the world of several thousand years ago. The same will be true in the future.

Print will die in the next century or so and maybe, maybe, be a footnote someplace.

By Erwin Busselot on May 15, 2023

My vote would be to use the modern alternative of the Rosetta Stone:
https://rosettaproject.org/?ref=longnow.org
This would people in the future to decipher most documents that (may) have survived till the year 5000.
Btw the long now foundation has some other interesting projects around long term thinking, so do have a look:
https://longnow.org