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Building a Mechanical Clock for 10,000 Years

This is one of the most impressive projects ever conceived

Dec 16, 2011 20:51 GMT  ·  By
These are some of the designs taken into account for the long-term mechanical clock
   These are some of the designs taken into account for the long-term mechanical clock

A group of visionaries is currently setting the foundation of what will soon become a mechanical clock. What separates it from anything else is the fact that it will be constructed for a single purpose – keep a precise track of time over the next 10,000 years, arXiv reports.

In other words, experts are trying to build a machine that will last for longer than the history of civilization. The work is conducted by the Long Now Foundation, which is currently financing the construction of a prototype clock in a cave at the border between Texas and New Mexico.

Materials such as titanium, ceramics, quartz and sapphire are the only possible options in building this machine, since they are the only ones capable of resisting 10,000-year-worth of wear.

The instrument will be placed in a temperature-controlled, dry cave. If the prototype is successful, experts plant to develop the project further, and build the actual instrument.