“If we don’t seriously transform our way of life, global warming — or other perils we create — will lead to the collapse of our civilization. » This is what the researchers think who have imagined a black box project intended to methodically record each of the stages that will lead to the end of humanity.
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[EN VIDÉO] Will humanity survive the collapse of biodiversity? It seems obvious that humanity is intertwined with its ecosystem. If biodiversity collapses, it will obviously no longer be able to provide ecosystem services. Can humanity exist decently under these conditions? Futura was able to address this question with Gilles Boeuf, researcher and president of the scientific council of the AFB.
In all airplanes there is a Black Box. It records all the operations carried out by the crew. In case of’accident, it helps trace the thread of the disaster. To understand what led to crash. And what Australian researchers — and artists — are proposing today is to imagine somewhat the same thing, but on a planetary scale. A gigantic black box intended to record day-to-day data on how we are fighting against global warming. With the aim of leaving valuable information about ” the crash “ from humanity to populations that may survive us… or to extraterrestrial civilizations.
Like the black box of an airplane, placed in the safest place of an airplane, the machine is in the process of construction in the place designated by researchers as the safest on our planet – for its geographical and political stability in particular. Qatar or Norway have been considered. It’s ultimately the west coast of the Tasmania — it should be noted that the project in question was born, precisely, at the University of Tasmania — which was selected.
And this Earth’s Black Box — understand “Earth’s black box” –, as big as a bus — something like ten meters long — and somewhat in the shape of an upturned bus shelter, will be covered with a layer over 7 centimeters ofsteel tempered and granite. To enable it to withstand all kinds of disasters.
An unbiased account of events
At the heart of the system, a series of HDDs powered by energy solar and connected to Internet. These storage units will record — a beta version is already on the way, accessible on the website of theEarth’s Black Box — global temperatures, ocean acidification, data on land use, military spending, energy consumption, and world population growth. You will also find the front pages of newspapers, publications on social networks or the main information drawn from the meetings on the climate change.
Hold our leaders accountable
At any time, it will be possible – the “how” remains to be determined – to access the climate data contained in this incredible black box. Because if the idea appears at first sight above all as apocalyptic, the intention of the researchers is above all, thanks to “an unbiased account of events”, to provide us with the basis on which to hold our leaders to account by recording their action… or their inaction. A way to remind everyone of their responsibilities. With the hope of ultimately inspiring urgent action to pull us out of this misstep. “When people are recorded, it usually has an influence on what they say and what they do”, hope the researchers behind the project.
If the operation were to fail and thehumanity was to collapse, this black box would remain as the sad witness of our disaster. Assuming, of course, that the whole Earth has not also been destroyed — in which case, the black box would of course not resist — and that the civilizations that find it will be able to decipher its messages…
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