Time capsules

[Kyng]

I'm pretty sure most of us are familiar with time capsules. They're containers full of everyday objects and messages, which are buried underground and then re-opened several decades later. The idea is that these help future generations a better understanding of our lives and culture, by giving them access to items which would otherwise have long since been consumed or thrown away.  

Sometimes, their value does come into question: some historians think they end up being filled with "useless junk" of little historical value. However, they remain popular - and it's easy to understand why: it's very natural to be curious as to what people from the far-flung future would think of us! 

I am aware of at least one of these near me, at a supermarket that was overhauled and re-opened when I was about 8 or 9 years old. I'm not sure what's in it - and I'm not going to find out any time soon, because I think it's another 30 years or so before it's due to be opened . 

Anyway, are there any buried near you - or, have any been opened near you recently? If you were going to bury a time capsule, what would you put in it?

[Moonshroom]

There are none buried near me (at least that I know of), but I simply cannot agree with the "useless junk" statement that some people like to bring up.

Yes, most of the items found on time capsules lack commercial value, but they are also doing a marvelous job at encapsulating and representing the time period they belong in. An old newspaper may be essentially worthless as an item, but it would teach us a lot about the world it was buried in.... how the economy worked, how was the political environment, who were the hottest-scoring athletes, and so on.

Or even a toy some kid threw in could teach us a lot. From the kind of plastic used, to the character or show the toy was based on and its popularity.

So yeah, I don't think you can possibly find junk in those.

[Detective Osprey]

They’re cool but I’ve never seen one irl.

[Kyng]

Apparently, a time capsule from 1873 has been discovered. It was found by builders, underneath the cornerstone of a synagogue that was constructed in that year:

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020...ish-museum

It sounds as though the capsule hasn't been opened yet, but I'll be very interested to see what's inside it when it is. Britain has changed a whole lot since then!

[Nilla]

I know Nickelodeon studios has one in Florida. It was put in the ground in 1992 and will be opened on April 30th, 2042. You can see what they put in it here: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/3101...uried-1992

Personally, I am very excited to see them open it. I wasn't able to see it put in the ground because it happened before I was born.

I tried to make one when I was a kid but I opened it three days later because I wanted my stuff back. LOL

[Kyng]

Nice .

VHS? That's rather outdated already... I look forward to seeing just what format has superseded it by the year 2042 .

Same thing with the Game Boys, really... though, I expect even the Switch will look as dated by 2042 as the Game Boy does now .

I just hope books and pencils aren't obsolete by 2042... although, the idea of digging 50-year-old Twinkies out of the ground does gross me out a bit .

I tried to make one when I was a kid but I opened it three days later because I wanted my stuff back. LOL

You know, I vaguely remember making one of those "time crapsules" myself. However, I don't recall what I put in it (or even whether I buried it in the first place: it could just be my memory playing tricks on me )

[Nilla]

Sure VHS tapes are outdated but I am sure some older people still use them. I am surprised that they did not put in some cassette tapes, either. I remember I used to go to the library and they'd have a whole section with cassette tapes you could check out. Half of them were stories but I got lucky and I would check out the Lion King sound track and play it in my cassette/CD/radio.

The Twinkies sound disgusting to me, too.. I'm sure they will be covered in mold. I don't know why they even put those in it to begin with because people still eat those today. I guess they did not know back in 1992 and they thought they would become obsolete by now.

Also the books and pencils make no sense. XD

I guess the whole point of them burying this stuff is showing the future generation what we grew up with.

[Kyng]

Indeed, that is the point of it . I'll be interested to know how many of us are still using old VHS tapes in 2042... I'm sure there will be some of us !

But, yes... the books and pencils are a bit odd, since we'll almost certainly still be using both of those in 2042. Maybe they'll look a bit different, but I expect they'll still be easily recognisable.

Anyway... another of these has been discovered underneath the foundations of a primary school. It dated from 1876, and it contained ten coins and a rolled-up newspaper:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-la...e-56987766

Not a lot in there; however, I'm glad it's inspired these students to learn more about their local history!

[Kyng]

A time capsule from the year 1887, which had been kept under a statue of Robert E Lee in Richmond, Virginia, has just been opened:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021...e-pedestal

They had been hoping there would be a rare photo of Abraham Lincoln's dead body - but, sadly, they didn't find this . However, they did find some books, letters, bullets, and other stuff from the Civil War era - and it was in pretty good condition, considering how old it was!