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23-Meter Clock Funded with US$ 42 Million by Jeff Bezos Is Designed to Operate for 10,000 Years Inside a Mountain in Texas with Annual Ticking and Cuckoo Every 1,000 Years
A 10,000-Year Clock standing 23 meters tall has been installed inside a mountain in the Texas desert, funded by Jeff Bezos with US$ 42 million, to operate for 10,000 years and symbolize responsibility to future generations.
10,000-Year Clock Was Conceived in 1995 and Funded by Jeff Bezos
The 10,000-Year Clock was conceived by Danny Hillis in 1995 and received support from the Long Now Foundation, founded with Stewart Brand.
The project envisions a machine capable of operating with minimal human intervention over ten millennia.
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The proposal is to symbolize long-term thinking, in contrast to the so-called presentism of contemporary society, which rarely plans beyond the next few decades. Jeff Bezos funded the construction of the clock with US$ 42 million.
The structure is being built on his property in Texas, the Corn Ranch, an area of 670 square kilometers located in the Sierra Diablo region near Van Horn.
Mechanical Operation Uses Daily Temperature Variations as Energy Source
The mechanism of the 10,000-Year Clock is purely mechanical. The energy required for its operation is generated by the thermal variations between daytime heating and nighttime cooling in the desert.
Visitors climbing the spiral stairs also help to wind the system. The timekeeping rhythm is extremely slow and follows specific intervals.
The ticking occurs once a year. The century hand moves forward every 100 years. A mechanical cuckoo emerges every 1,000 years, marking the passage of a millennium.
The structure uses stainless steel 316, titanium, and dry ceramic bearings. These materials were chosen to eliminate the need for lubrication and resist corrosion over millennia.
Installation Takes Place Inside an Hallow Mountain with Access via Steep Trail
The 10,000-Year Clock is installed inside a hollow mountain in West Texas. Access is intentionally difficult and requires climbing a steep trail with a 600-meter elevation gain.
After the trail, visitors navigate tunnels and stairs to reach the mechanism. The experience is designed to create a mental preparation in view of the temporal scale of the project.
Excavation began in 2012. Installation of the mechanisms started in 2018. The project is not yet fully completed.
Prototypes of the clock are already functioning in London and San Francisco. These models serve as demonstrations of the project’s concept in its development phase.
Philosophical Purpose and Criticism of the Project
The Long Now Foundation states that the 10,000-Year Clock seeks to extend humanity’s planning horizon. The goal is to serve as a physical reminder that current decisions will impact for millennia.
Jeff Bezos stated that he hopes the clock will lead people to reflect on the future and their role in the long history of civilization.
Some critics label the project as a billionaire’s vanity project, pointing to a disconnect with present-day urgencies. Others highlight the symbolism of investing resources in something that no one living today will see operate fully.
The IQByte channel, which has over 3,530 subscribers, published a video featuring explanations from Bezos himself about the project and its significance.
With information from BMC News.
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