(ORDO NEWS) — In a recent study, a group of scientists discussed the possibility of creating a backup system for storing data on human activities in the event of a global catastrophe on Earth.
This system could be used to restore human civilization on the planet after a catastrophe.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us how vulnerable our world is to large-scale disasters due to its growing interconnectedness,” says Carson Ezell, lead author of the study.
“However, catastrophic risks are ignored in political discourse because they are unexpected and unprecedented.
Backing up data off-planet would be an important step towards improving our ability to recover from a catastrophic disaster, as well as allowing us to recognize our common human identity.”
“Once a human lunar base is in place, an important priority should be equipping it with a computer system that backs up all the information needed to reboot life on Earth,” says Dr. Avi Loeb, a professor in the Department of Astronomy at Harvard University and co-author of the study.
“This includes genetic information about all forms of terrestrial life, as well as information about all human creations, including books, music and Internet content.”
Dr. Lazaryan, co-author of the article, emphasizes that the purpose of this project is to warn people, especially politicians, that we are a very vulnerable and fragile civilization, and we live in a very dangerous time, because we can destroy ourselves.
“There are many existential risks to life on Earth, including climate change, a global nuclear war, pandemics, an asteroid impact, the evaporation of our oceans and rivers, or an unexpected disaster from a rare astrophysical event such as a gamma-ray burst,” says Dr. Loeb.
“The likelihood that any of these events will wipe out humanity is highly uncertain, but it’s worth developing a backup and recovery plan.”
The researchers emphasize the importance of this being an international project. They believe that international intergenerational coordination will enable further initiatives to improve the prospects for a long-term future.
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