Immortal Language
An overwhelming majority of people understand the above image, irrespective of native language. Source: VectorArt
Through shared human and cultural understanding, art is widely considered to be the most universal language. If I traveled to Chile, Belarus, Mozambique, and New Zealand, all of them would recognise that the simplified icon of a man and woman stood next to one another (pictured right) most likely indicated a bathroom. By contrast, writing 《卫生间就在左边》likely means nothing next to nothing to the majority of those reading this, despite being more specific and direct than the aforementioned icon of a man and a woman.
Art, colours, and pictures are incredibly efficient at communicating messages across space. But how do we communicate messages across time?
This exact dilemma is faced by a group of communications experts, climatologists, and archaeologists who possess a rather eerie job: designing a timeless messages to warn future generations about the radioactive effects of spent nuclear fuel. The fuel, which will continue to be radioactive thousands of years from now, is usually buried deep beneath the Earth’s surface. So how do those responsible communicate a timeless message to future generations to warn them of its deadly effects?
Unfortunately, warning signs might not cut it. Warning signs in ancient Egyptian tombs did little to stop archaeologists from extracting mountains of antiques, treasures, and human bodies. This is, of course, assuming that the English language remains unchanged centuries or millennia from now - which, considering how much the language has changed since Shakespeare put pen to paper in the late 1500s, seems incredibly unlikely.
Others have suggested hostile architecture to to ward off potential plunderers. The most well-known concept is that of the Spike Field (pictured right), a series of stone thorns erected on the horizon with a series of other wards - barbed wire, vault doors, and more - to forcibly keep people at bay. However, almost nothing would indicate the presence of valuable treasure being defended than a clearly communicated will to shut something behind its doors.
Ideas have even included breeding colour-changing cats to warn about radiation - like a canary in a mine shaft - with cats specifically chosen due to their association with society since the Pyramids were built. The passing down of stories - potentially through a type of “nuclear priesthood” - to ensure that the message carries on through time.
But so far, all we have is a framework of messages translated in a series of languages, which reads:
Sending this message was important to us. We considered ourselves to be a powerful culture.
This place is not a place of honor... no highly esteemed deed is commemorated here... nothing valued is here.
What is here was dangerous and repulsive to us. This message is a warning about danger.
The danger is in a particular location... it increases towards a center... the center of danger is here... of a particular size and shape, and below us.
The danger is still present, in your time, as it was in ours.
The danger is to the body, and it can kill.
The form of the danger is an emanation of energy.
The danger is unleashed only if you substantially disturb this place physically. This place is best shunned and left uninhabited.
This place is a message... and part of a system of messages... pay attention to it!
