It seems like a lot of movies and stories gravitate towards the “hidden ancient thing” plot. You know, the one where our heroes find some hidden ancient thing that’s about to do something it only does every 27 bajillion years and no one knows whether to be excited or terrified? Unfortunately, no one has found one yet, but someone is working on making one. Jeff Bezos masterminded and is now executing a project to build a clock that will tick for 10,000 years. The clock will chime every day for the intervening 10,000 years, which is a feat in and of itself, but the most awe inspiring detail to note is where this clock is being installed.
Currently, in the Sierra Diablo mountain range hours away from the nearest airport and literal hike from the nearest road, tunnels are being drilled into the mountains so that the clock can sit in a cave connected to 5 chambers that are devoted to the 1, 10, 100, 1,000 and 10,000 year anniversaries of the clock. The 1 year chamber will be fitted with an orrey and the 10 year room is also to be fitted something, although what that will be is still up for debate. The remaining chambers will be left empty except for a mechanical interface that will let future generations install their own celebratory devices.
Just imagine, thousands of years down the line, hundreds of humans making their trek to the mysterious clock. No one remembers how it got there, or what might happen when it ticks its last tick. It’s too bad that no one 10,000 years ago left one for us.
(10,000 Year Clock via Technabob)
