Time Capsules

[whiteflip]

Why is it that time capsules are always berried in the ground? Why is it not just kept on the surface or shot into an orbit? Perhaps in a time capsule vault that wont open for 100 years.

Just wondering. Anybody got their own time capsules or been involved in the making of a time capsules

[Bilbo Baggins]

It is probably because of the fact that archaeology has always involved digging, so it would be natural to bury it.

[Carmagio]

I believe they're burried in the ground to keep them intact without tampering. As for shooting them into orbit, eventually they will fall out of orbit and be destroyed on their reentry

[rm']

We could always get Strom Thurmond to guard them... he'll be around for ages...

[Curi0us_George]

I've always felt that short-term time capsules were a rather stupid idea. "Let's bury this for 50 years" or a hundred years, whatever. If you really want to make a useful time capsule, then you shouldn't plan on digging it back up at all. The only way a time capsule would be useful is if, at some point in the future, records of our current existense were all lost or destroyed. In 100 years, they will still have plenty of records of our current state. There will still be some people from my generation around to tell them about it. Maybe in a thousand, or ten thousand years, but most of these time capsules are a waste of exactly what they are supposed to record.

[Carmagio]

I don't know. My great grandmother had a time capsule.... it was pretty cool to go through. It gives you a personal viewpoint on what life was like in a given time period.

[Signal Box]

I like Time Capsules. Though a thought that comes to mind is where to bury it? In a forest?

[InvisableMan]

Originally posted by rm'
We could always get Strom Thurmond to guard them... he'll be around for ages...

and sleeping in congress all the while

Originally posted by Signal Box
I like Time Capsules. Though a thought that comes to mind is where to bury it? In a forest?

they usually put it near the building or place that it has most to do with... sometimes its built in to the cornerstone of a building, etc.

[SNYder]

Originally posted by Carmagio
I don't know. My great grandmother had a time capsule.... it was pretty cool to go through. It gives you a personal viewpoint on what life was like in a given time period.

agreed

we made a time whatchamacallit at my elementary school back in the day. we each put something in it we made. But now, I fear what dark unforgiving secrets I may have divulged in that whatchamacallit. ooohhh goodness.

[Bilbo Baggins]

Originally posted by Signal Box
I like Time Capsules. Though a thought that comes to mind is where to bury it? In a forest?

How about deep sea? If we eventually have to look to the sea bed for resources / living space, then it could be a decent place.

[rm']

Originally posted by InvisableMan
and sleeping in congress all the while

He's not sleeping, silly! He's hibernating, waiting for the day when the Great Republic of the United States of America will call upon him to valiantly defend this nation against hordes of space invaders.

[whiteflip]

Originally posted by Carmagio
I believe they're burried in the ground to keep them intact without tampering. As for shooting them into orbit, eventually they will fall out of orbit and be destroyed on their reentry

i was thinking a slicon shielded capsule that woud resist re-entry and deply a shoot and fall to earth and float if need be. perhaps a radio tracking thinggy would be engaged once it started its re-entry.

hmm so thats why they are burried. we made one in elementary school. we put posessions and writings in it to the people of the future.

[rm']

$$$

Of course, there is also Voyager, but that kind of venture is rarely made by the private sector.