The Arctic is turning into the main repository of human knowledge in the event of a global catastrophe.
In 2008, in the Svalbard archipelago, under the auspices of the United Nations, a world seed bank for planting material was established (Norwegian Svalbard Globale frøhvelv). Each country received its own storage compartment for planting material; thus, the warehouse can accommodate absolutely all samples of agricultural crops existing in the world.
The giant bunker, consisting of three rooms with a temperature of -18 ºC, lies at a depth of about 130 meters, which allows it to withstand most disasters: from an asteroid fall to a nuclear war. Even with a power outage, the seeds can survive for two centuries.
After this task was completed, humanity began to think about the importance of preserving cultural and scientific knowledge. Norway became the initiator, choosing the local company Piql to create the information archive. Its specialists translate digital information onto a special light-sensitive film that can “live” from 500 to 1000 years.
The Arctic World Archive is located next to the seed bank, and its building is also reliably protected from man-made, climatic and other threats. The creators of the archive emphasize that in the case of storing data in digital format, there is always the risk of a hacker attack, while it is almost impossible to penetrate the storage facility on the Spitsbergen archipelago, and this will help preserve a priceless heritage for history.
In addition to Norway, the first countries to choose to keep their documents were Brazil and Mexico. In particular, it is extremely important for Mexico not to lose evidence of the Inca period, and Brazil sent information from its National Archives. Piql officials urge other states to follow suit.
Anastasia Barinova