When I learned the the technology used to build the Pantheons unreinforced dome in 27 AD was lost and that we do not know how it was built, or that an entire city, Pompeii was destroyed in 79 AD and forgotten about for 1500 years and not rediscovered until 1599, it really made me think about the importance of written records. Many people scan and destroy all of their hard copies of photos books and records into digital format, and get rid of their hard copies of these things. Digital books and information are replacing textbooks, newspaper, magazines and the need for libraries. It sounds like a good idea but when I think back to these two ancient examples of what can be lost without a written record it makes me wonder what would happen if all of our digital data was lost.
"The Digital Dark" age is the podcast that I was interested in for the "On the Media" assignment. They explore this very same idea. If we as a species lost access to electronic records by either passage of time and computers or their software becoming obsolete, or suddenly by a cosmic disaster, we could no longer draw from the well of knowledge accrues through the ages, and would experience this "Digital Dark age"
It is very concerning that we are so complacent about our media storage. Hard drives fail, DVDs or plastic deteriorates. Even if your data survives 20-30 years will there be a computer or machine to read it? Or can your current soft ware even translate it? This problem is called "bit rot".
Some possible solutions to this "bit rot " problem are creating of a digital velum(animal skin) or storing information in a digital DNA. These solutions pose questions. Who will be responsible to do this? Who will pay and store these massive amounts of information? Where will if be stored? How affordable or attainable will it be? What institution should or could be trusted with all of this information-private or government?
In addition to bit rot, another looming threat is solar flares or Electromagnetic pulses that happen from time to time both large and small. A very large solar flare just missed the earth in 2012, if it had hit the earth it could of instantly put us back in the 1800's. In 1859 a large solar flare caused telegraph machines used at that time to catch fire.
I think that either way protecting the world of knowledge should be a priority. We understand that all the knowledge we have gained could easily be lost through just one generation. Psychologically it is hard for people to want to spend time money and resources one a problem that is not currently seen like this problem or a problem like global warming. Other issues that are more entwined with our daily lives seem to take priority. Socially a setback with a sudden loss of satellite, TV, cell phones and power grid would cause chaos and the amount of time to restore these technological conveniences is unknown. Some countries such as the UK have built alternative ship navigation systems but countries like the US have done nothing.
I enjoy the convenience of digital technology but hesitate to toss hard copies of music, books and other written records. It make me nervous to see libraries of books being replaced by libraries online. I do think this is an area that deserves more discussion and solutions to be found.
No comments:
Post a Comment