The 'forever problem': Nuclear waste as information

Heaney, Chris

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/42095 Copy

Description

Title

The 'forever problem': Nuclear waste as information

Author(s)

Heaney, Chris

Issue Date

2013-02

Keyword(s)

• deep time
• information ethics
• long-term communication
• nuclear waste
• WIPP
• history and philosophy of information

Abstract

Nuclear waste repositories harbor materials that are dangerous for tens of thousands of years, far longer than the normal human planning time span. Disposal facilities such as the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant and the halted Yucca Mountain plant offer an uncommon look into the history of long-term transmission and preservation of information. This poster explores concepts relating both to nuclear waste as information in and of itself, communicating through its emissions, as well as ways in which nuclear waste necessitates long-term, human-driven preservation of information. Furthermore, it probes issues regarding the design of systems for information transfer over long time periods, relations between various recent attempts to communicate across great temporal distances, and ethical issues surrounding obligations to warn future generations of hazardous materials.

Publisher

iSchools

Type of Resource

text

Language

en

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/42095

DOI

https://doi.org/10.9776/13302

Copyright and License Information

Copyright © 2013 is held by the authors. Copyright permissions, when appropriate, must be obtained directly from the authors.

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