In New Mexico, the U.S. government is burying nuclear waste that will remain deadly for millennia. To protect the distant future, a multidisciplinary team of scientists, linguists, and even sci-fi writers is designing a “Keep Out” sign that will last 10,000 years. They must overcome immense challenges in material science and linguistics to create a warning that can survive and be understood by a completely unknown civilization.
Designing a “Keep Out” Sign to Last 10,000 Years
The proposed warning reads, “This is not a place of honor… What is here is dangerous and repulsive to us… The danger is still present, in your time, as it was in ours.”
Related Posts
Drugs of the future will be easier and faster to make, thanks to mRNA – after researchers work out a few remaining kinks
Two hurdles mRNA drugs face are a short half-life and impurities that trigger immune responses. BlackJack3D/iStock via Getty…
How do fireworks work? A pyrotechnics chemist explains the science behind the brilliant colors and sounds
Colors, sparks, booms and whistles all require different pyrotechnic recipes. chensiyuan/WikimediaCommons, CC BY-SA Paul E. Smith, Purdue University…
Engineers Uncover Limits of Transparent Materials’ Energy Absorption
At a Glance Electrical engineers at Duke University have made a significant discovery regarding the maximum amount of…
The Fall of “Ingenuity”
Ingenuity, initially designed for just five flights over 30 days, completed 72 missions across nearly three years, helping…
