I was expecting this to be about the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant[1]. They're disposing of radioactive waste from weapons production there, and it will remain da

I was expecting this to be about the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant[1]. They're disposing of radioactive waste from weapons production there, and it will remain dangerous for 10000 years. It happens to be in the Permian Basin, which has deposits of oil and gas. Also, the area has salt and potash that can be mined. WIPP itself is in salt. So there will almost certainly be people digging for one reason or another in that time. The problem is how to place a message that will be understood as a warning to humans over that long of a time scale. The last thing you want is future archaeologists digging there because they think it is a tomb or monument. Gregory Benford also talks about it (and some other interesting topics related to communicating over long time intervals) in his book Deep Time[2]. It's an interesting read. [1] http://www.wipp.energy.gov/picsprog/articles/wipp%20exhibit%20message%20to%2012,000%20a_d.htm http://www.wipp.energy.gov/picsprog/articles/wipp%20exhibit%... [2] https://smile.amazon.com/Deep-Time-Humanity-Communicates-Millennia/dp/0380793466 https://smile.amazon.com/Deep-Time-Humanity-Communicates-Mil...