3 ms·

While an elaborate prank can not be ruled out, I think that is actually significantly less likely than the contents simply disintegrating due to external moistu

While an elaborate prank can not be ruled out, I think that is actually significantly less likely than the contents simply disintegrating due to external moisture and 200 years of time.

godelski 3y ago
Sure, it is possible, but it does put quite the limitation on possible contents. Means there were no metal objects. People tend not to put paper documents in time capsules for explicitly this reason. Moreso, they tend to not put _exclusively_ paper or easily disintegratable materials. The materials would also have to be quite small to slip out of those areas (even accounting for elastic deformation). Or needed to be quite fragile to be reduced to such a size. Just as another explanation, if materials can get out, it is also simple for materials to get in. In the case of flooding, it is not unlikely that water mixed with dirt getting in and drying. This isn't inconsistent with the material that they pulled out. It will likely be impossible to know which the real answer is, but I'm not holding my breath. The joke seems like the easier explanation. Let's make sure that what we want to believe doesn't prevent us from accepting reasonable alternatives (this applies to both of us).
- Swenrekcah 3y ago
  If I’m not mistaken this dates back pretty far before the time when time capsules became “a thing” so to speak, which makes it very unlikely in my mind it’s a prank. Because a prank like that only makes sense if a time capsule is already a common cultural phenomenon. Also I think the effects of 200 years can not be understated. Clothes that have been sitting in a closet under certain conditions for 50 years can fall apart when tried on. I wouldn’t be so sure that only paper could have been in the box, but the people putting it in would not necessarily have realised paper doesn’t preserve well in a time capsule if they were among the first ones creating one.
- gamblor956 3y ago
  People now tend not to put paper in time capsules because we now know that it will disintegrate if their is moisture. 200 years ago, they may have thought that the time capsule would protect any paper contents from moisture. After all, we have many paper documents that are hundreds and thousands of years old that survived in various libraries.

While an elaborate prank can not be ruled out, I think that is actually significantly less likely than the contents simply disintegrating due to external moisture and 200 years of time.

godelski 3y ago

Sure, it is possible, but it does put quite the limitation on possible contents. Means there were no metal objects. People tend not to put paper documents in time capsules for explicitly this reason. Moreso, they tend to not put _exclusively_ paper or easily disintegratable materials. The materials would also have to be quite small to slip out of those areas (even accounting for elastic deformation). Or needed to be quite fragile to be reduced to such a size. Just as another explanation, if materials can get out, it is also simple for materials to get in. In the case of flooding, it is not unlikely that water mixed with dirt getting in and drying. This isn't inconsistent with the material that they pulled out. It will likely be impossible to know which the real answer is, but I'm not holding my breath. The joke seems like the easier explanation. Let's make sure that what we want to believe doesn't prevent us from accepting reasonable alternatives (this applies to both of us).

Swenrekcah 3y ago
If I’m not mistaken this dates back pretty far before the time when time capsules became “a thing” so to speak, which makes it very unlikely in my mind it’s a prank. Because a prank like that only makes sense if a time capsule is already a common cultural phenomenon. Also I think the effects of 200 years can not be understated. Clothes that have been sitting in a closet under certain conditions for 50 years can fall apart when tried on. I wouldn’t be so sure that only paper could have been in the box, but the people putting it in would not necessarily have realised paper doesn’t preserve well in a time capsule if they were among the first ones creating one.
gamblor956 3y ago
People now tend not to put paper in time capsules because we now know that it will disintegrate if their is moisture. 200 years ago, they may have thought that the time capsule would protect any paper contents from moisture. After all, we have many paper documents that are hundreds and thousands of years old that survived in various libraries.