Globalizing Green

Brand built his case for rethinking environmental goals and methods on two major changes going on in the world. The one that most people still don’t take into consideration is that power is shifting to the developing world, where 5 out of 6 people live, where the bulk of humanity is getting. . .   Read More

If you’re among those concerned with data rot, you might see a glimmer of hope for long-term digital preservation in a recent development from Utah-based startup Millenniata. The company will soon begin manufacturing DVDs capable of protecting data that can be read for 1,000 years, if stored at room temperature.From Slashdot: “Dubbed the Millennial Disk, […]

Martin Schoeller’s portraiture reveals an unexpected familiarity with his subjects, who range from the well-known to the anonymous. The photographer’s portraits of Pirahã tribesmen serve as a compelling follow-up to the work of Daniel Everett, who recounted his experience living with the Amazonian community at one of our seminars in March. . .   Read More

Anathem book launch

With over 900 Long Now members and sci-fi appreciators in the audience, we celebrated the release of Neal Stephenson’s new book Anathem on Tuesday September 9, 02008 in San Francisco. With the book drawing heavily on Long Now’s ideas for a 10,000 Year Clock , and our explorations of. . .   Read More

Asteroid threat report

Schweickart filled the hall with some 240 at the Presidio Officers Club and gave a dazzling lecture. He left the next day for Washington DC to lobby Congress to apply its will to making the Earth safe for the very long term.

“For life to survive in planetary systems,” said Schweickart, “it. . .   Read More

Long-term thinking about large-scale computing

Ever since his 1997 breakthrough book, DARWIN AMONG THE MACHINES, Dyson has become regarded as a leading historian and interpreter of computer science, bringing a rigorous and unconventional perspective. Thus his willingness to examine the long-term prospects for mega-scale computing. Most computer people are averse to. . .   Read More

The art of the really long view

For such a weighty subject there was a lot of guffawing going on in the Seminar Thursday night.

The topic was “The Art of the Really Long View.” Peter Schwartz chatted through his slides for tonight’s lecture, then the discussion waded in. Present were Danny Hillis, Leighton. . .   Read More

The Long Now

Brian told the origins of his realizations about the “small here” versus the “big here” and the “short now” versus the “long now.” He noted that the Big Here is pretty well popularized now, with exotic restaurants everywhere, “world” music, globalization, and routine photos of the whole earth. Instant world news and. . .   Read More