How are we preserving our knowledge?

Question

Archeologists are unearthing and deciphering ancient information, carved in stone, all the time. That gives us insight into the life and times of ancient civilizations.

Has our highly advanced civilization created anything capable of storing and displaying the complex information and insights we have worked so hard to compile, in a way that would survive the demise of our civilization, and could be read by future generations, even if they haven't quite got our level of understanding?

And are any efforts underway to preserve our knowledge for the future in some way, to serve as some kind of "post-apocalyptic, civilizational jump starter", if required?

What would they be like?

Answer 1

There are records storage facilities at a number of locations. They contain films, records and other irreplaceable information. On the short-term (centuries) they would preserve much of the information.

Long term storage  has been by time capsules. Several were created beginning in the 1930s. One of the most elaborate included a wind powered generator in case electricity was no longer being used and a device to teach English.

Mount Rushmore has a "Hall of Records" located behind it's carvings. It's a scaled down version of what was planned.

A number of companies manufacture "time capsules" and the Smithsonian has a publication on how to set up your own time capsule.

On the other hand, a number of important time capsules have been lost. Either stolen or their location is unknown. A recent time capsule, containing a then new car,  was opened and found to have been flooded. This destroyed much of the information.

A criticism of the concept has been that the material placed in most doesn't tell one much about the culture. The meaning of the Barbie doll and some of the debate over it isn't recorded. It appears to be just a doll.

If you want to make you own "post-apocalyptic, civilizational jump starter", use the links below.

Answer 2

What knowledge are you talking about, as regards to Anthropology, we have no knowledge. What you have is all supposition and conjecture and not just a sprinkling of suppressed evidence for the contrary. If you are going to leave anything at all for future generations to pick up on, at least let it be factual.

Answer 3

Two words...

TIME CAPSULE!

I dug a big hole in my backyard, and sealed into it, everything posterity needs to know, and barring a direct hit by a nuclear device, it should survive at least 10,000 years or more...