Arrr! Yonder mountain holds a treasure - a clock built by Jeff Bezos, a mighty pirate, meant to outlast us landlubbers!
2023-12-15
Arr, ye scallywags! Bezos, the captain of Amazon, be diggin' deep into his treasure chest to dish out a hefty sum of $42 million. He be usin' this bounty to craft a fantastical 10,000-year clock, snuggled within a mighty mountain in West Texas. 'Tis to be a marvel of engineering and a masterpiece, worthy of legends!
In a humorous tone, the article discusses Jeff Bezos' vision of building a clock that would last for 10,000 years as a symbol of long-term thinking and responsibility to the future. Bezos is investing $42 million to construct the clock inside a mountain in West Texas. The clock, designed by computer scientist Danny Hillis, is intended to be both an engineering wonder and a work of art.The 10,000-Year Clock is a mechanical device that uses the Earth's thermal cycles to power itself. It consists of various components, including a solar synchronizer, a pendulum, a chime generator, and a series of gears and dials. The clock is 500 feet tall and spans the entire height of the mountain. It is synchronized with the sun every noon and keeps track of the year, century, and millennium.
The clock also has five room-sized anniversary chambers, each for a different year anniversary. The chambers are sealed spaces for time-related artifacts and messages about humanity's future. The first chamber will contain a model of the solar system, and the others will be left for future generations to fill.
Bezos believes in long-term thinking and sees the clock as a way to inspire responsibility and foster a bright future for humanity. However, building a clock that will last for 10,000 years is not an easy task. It requires careful engineering, craftsmanship, and testing. The clock must withstand the elements and be simple enough for future generations to maintain.
While the project is remarkable, some critics question its value and relevance. They argue that the money and resources could be better spent on solving urgent problems. Additionally, there are concerns about imposing a human-made artifact on the natural landscape and whether the clock will actually inspire long-term thinking.
The clock is not yet open to the public, and there is no completion date set. Visitors will have to hike to reach its interior gears. Some wonder if the clock will survive the test of time or become a forgotten relic.
Overall, the 10,000-Year Clock is an ambitious project aiming to create a lasting legacy. Whether it will achieve its goals and impact the future remains to be seen.