The Earth Black Box, as it is called, sounds like a basis for a science fiction story, something from The Foundation or Horizon Zero Dawn. But it is real, it will be constructed in early next 2020 and it has already begun recording data.
It will be built on a granite plain on the west coast of Tasmania, Australia. It will measure 10m by 4m by 3m. Within its 7.5cm, thick steel walls will be the last records of humility before it succumbed to climate change.
The box houses massive amounts of storage and will have internet connectivity. It will be powered by solar panels and have batteries as a backup.
Within its storage are two types of data:
- The measurements of land and sea temperatures, ocean acidification, atmospheric CO2, species extinction, land-use changes, as well as things like human population, military spending and energy consumption.
- Newspaper headlines, social media posts, and news from key events.
The creators of the project told ABC that there will be enough storage in the Earth Black Box for 30 to 50 years worth of data.
It is hoped that the data stored within the Earth Black Box will be a lesson for whomever or whatever that finds it after climate change destroys the world.
Since it will also contain the names and actions –or lack thereof– of decision-makers on climate change, the creators of the Earth Black Box anticipate that it will influence political and business leaders.
While it can be looked at as a stunt, it is undeniable that a permanent record of the earth’s last days meant for a post-apocalyptic world is a compelling idea in fiction or otherwise.
