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IF I COULD SAVE TIME IN A BOTTLE
The modern age of time capsules dates back to
1936 when Dr. Thornwell Jacobs, president of Oglethorpe University in Atlanta,
Georgia, conceived the idea of a "Crypt of Civilization." Dr.
Jacobs wanted to condense and preserve thousands of years of human knowledge so
that future generations would know the world in which he lived. After
several years of gathering relevant and appropriate materials, Dr. Jacobs and
his University team sealed off a large room by welding a stainless steel door
engraved with the instruction: "Do not open until May 28, 8113."
Around the same time period, the Westinghouse
Electric Corp. was looking for an attention-getting device for their pavilion at
the 1938-39 New York World's Fair. The company learned of the project at
Oglethorpe University and created the Westinghouse Time Capsule -- a
rocket-shaped cylinder much like a thermos that was eight feet long and a mere
eight inches wide. Amid great fanfare, the time capsule was displayed at
the Fair and then buried 50 feet underground, set to be opened in 5,000 years.
Soon every big event and celebration around the
world included a time capsule to mark a major event or occasion. Today,
there are an estimated 15,000 time capsules worldwide, including about 5,000
that were created especially for the millennium.
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