researchers-build-black-box-earth-record-eventual-demise

Researchers Build a ‘Black Box’ for Earth to Record Its Eventual Demise

Researchers are building what they say is an indestructible “Black Box.” The purpose of the box is to record events leading to Earth’s eventual demise for future generations to reference. The location of the Black Box remains a secret. However, what we do know is that the finished product will be somewhere in Australia on a remote island. 

The front page of The Black Box website explains it all. The site reads, “Unless we dramatically transform our way of life, climate change and other man-made perils will cause our civilization to crash. Earth’s Black Box will record every step we take towards this catastrophe.” The site says the Black Box will continuously collect data and store it safely. The site goes on to say, “The purpose of the device is to provide an unbiased account of the events that lead to the demise of the planet, hold accountability for future generations, and inspire urgent action. How the story ends is completely up to us. Only one thing is certain, your actions, inactions, and interactions are now being recorded.”

Black Box is Not Exactly the First of its’ Kind

The project seems to have parallels with the “Doomsday Vault” located in Norway. To explain, the design of Norway’s vault will save Earth’s seeds. The intent of saving Earth’s seeds is for agricultural purposes should disaster strike. Contrarily, The Black Box plans to leave a blueprint for future generations. This purpose is to allow them to understand what happened to our civilization. The project’s pioneers are creative agency The Glue Society, Clemenger BBDO, and researchers at The University of Tasmania. An undisclosed location will house the completed project in 2022. However, the box is partially finished. This means the project is already active in some capacity. According to the researchers, it’s recording data as we speak in a beta test. 

Clemenger BBDO’s executive creative director Jim Curtis spoke to the Australian broadcasting Corporation about the project. Curtis says, “The idea is if the Earth does crash as a result of climate change, this indestructible recording device will be there for whoever’s left to learn from that. It’s also there to hold leaders to account – to make sure their action or inaction is recorded.”

Preventative Action is the Goal

The minds behind the project say that part of its purpose is to encourage humans to take action. Potentially even avoid doomsday-like scenarios. There’s no question that climate change continues to affect our planet. Additionally, the environmental impact of how our society currently operates certainly plays a role in certain declines. With this in mind, The Black Box project hopes to nudge society to be more conscious about their contributions. Jonathan Kneebone of The Glue Society told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation his thoughts. Kneebone says, “When people know they’re being recorded, it does have an influence on what they do and say. That’s our role if anything, to be something in the back of everyone’s mind.”

Some scientists say that we have entered our planet’s sixth mass extinction. This is due to how quickly animals are vanishing and the several climate-related declines recorded in recent years.