Earth is getting its own ‘Black Box’ that will track climate change and other man-made perils – and potentially document civilisation’s downfall.
The 32-foot long, indestructible steel monolith was built ‘to outlive all of us’. It is located in Tasmania in Australia. Hard drives will document an “unbiased account” of events leading to the end of the world.
It will record scientific data regarding temperature, sea level and atmospheric CO2, as well other metrics, to help document how mankind failed to stop a global climate disaster.
It is akin to an aviation black box, and records aircraft performance to give vital information in the event of an accident.
However, they’re still working out how humans would be able to access its data following a catastrophic climate apocalypse – or if anyone would be alive to do so.
A small number of survivors of humankind could be able to learn more about civilisation’s fall due to flooding, fire, and drought.
It’s currently unclear how much the solar-powered box will cost, but construction will begin in mid-2022.
It will look very similar to the monolith that Stanley Kubrick created in his 1968 epic film, 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Earth’s Black Box, which will house the Black Box of Earth, is to be constructed in “an extremely geologically sound location in Tasmania”. Construction is expected to be complete by 2022
Earth’s Black Box has a similar vibe to the black monolith in Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 epic, ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ (pictured here)
Marketing firm Clemenger BBDO led the project in partnership with University of Tasmania. MailOnline has contacted Clemenger BBDO about how much the project is costing.
‘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,’ Jim Curtis from Clemenger BBDO told the ABC.
‘It’s also there to hold leaders to account – to make sure their action or inaction is recorded.’
The exact location of the box is unspecified, but it will reportedly be situated about four hours from the city of Hobart, somewhere near the western coast, between Strahan and Queenstown.
According to reports, Tasmanian was chosen over other applicants like Malta and Norway because of its geopolitical stability.
The sun will shine in Tasmania during the summer, so solar energy is available to charge the computer with scientific data. This includes sea levels, temperatures, ocean acidification, species extinction, and changes in land use in various parts of the globe.
Meanwhile, an algorithm will take climate-change-related material from the internet, such as newspaper headlines and social media posts.
The project website states that it was created to provide an impartial account of what led to the end of the world, encourage action, and hold responsible for future generations.
Clemenger BBDO is leading Earth’s Black Box, a joint project between the University of Tasmania and marketing company Clemenger BBDO. This is an artist’s impression of it.
Although the exact address of the box has not been confirmed, it will be approximately four hours from Hobart. It will likely be near Queenstown on the west coast.
According to it, “Unless we drastically transform our way of living, climate change, and other man-made perils, will cause our civilization crash,” The ‘Earth’s Black Box’ will keep track of every move we make towards this catastrophe.
“Hundreds of data sets, measurements, and interactions related to the planet’s health will continue being collected for future generations.
According to the developers, it should be capable of storing data for 30 to 50 more years. This is crucial for our pursuit to curb climate change.
Once active, the Black Box will also be recording ‘backwards’ as well as forwards – in other words, obtaining data that’s dated months before it was switched on.
The developers of the system are unable to give an exact description as to how survivors would access it post-apocalypse.
Earth’s Black Box, a joint project of Clemenger BBDO and the University of Tasmania is led by Clemenger BBDO marketing.
According to ABC, it’s possible that anyone will come across this program.
An electronic reader could potentially reactivate the box if it has entered a long-term dormant state as a result of catastrophe – for example, a ‘Mad Max’ type post-apocalyptic situation.
The structure will be built to withstand all kinds of climate catastrophes, however, it may be a tourism attraction for rural Tasmania or a Clemenger BBDO promotional stunt.
Scientists predict that a “climate apocalypse” could happen in the next 100-years if humanity fails to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The device will record scientific data about temperature and sea level, as well as atmospheric CO2 in order to show human survivors how humans failed to prevent catastrophic climate change. Pictured: Fire crews from Australia extinguish the flames that had crossed the Monaro Highway, near Bredbo in New South Wales on February 2, 2020
Global systemic collapse could be caused by rising temperatures, declining food supply and biodiversity loss due to climate change.
According to a landmark UN report earlier this year, Earth is likely to warm by 2.7°F within the next 20 years – a decade earlier than previously expected.
Last week, Climate Change Committee said the world does ‘not come close’ to achieving the aims of the Paris Agreement to limit climate change.
This Paris Agreement, adopted in 2016, aims to hold an increase in global average temperature to below 3.6ºF (2°C) and pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 2.7°F (1.5°C).