Summary

Github freezes Bitcoin code in Arctic Ice to preserve open-source software for future generations

The Arctic Code Vault is located 250 meters below the frozen surface

Github’s Archive Program aims to preserve open-source software for future generations to learn from. This collection of open-source software includes ours truly: Bitcoin. The Arctic World Archive will ensure that future generations will not forget about the digital culture of today. Furthermore, the archive will serve as a wealth of information for future generations who discover it.

In order to make this venture possible, Github has partnered with Piqi, a Norwegian company specializing in this type of storage. Along with other big-name tech partners, Github will be at the forefront of preserving today’s digital age.

Why Svalbard?

Norway’s Svalbard, located a mere 650 miles from the North Pole, is deep within the Arctic Circle. With temperatures ranging from -4°F and 44°F, it’s safe to say Svalbard is not ideal for any form of permanent civilization. What’s more, is the international Svalbard Treaty which enforces Svalbard’s status as a demilitarized zone.

Svalbard is also relatively resistant to climate change as the surface is covered in thick meters of permafrost. In addition, The Arctic Code Vault is just a stone’s throw distance away from the world-famous Global Seed Vault. Thus, the location is already a landmark of historical and cultural significance to the human race.

In other words, the perfect place to store our generation’s legacy.

The Arctic Code Vault is located 250 meters below the permafrost surface of an Arctic mountain. Located within an abandoned coal mine, the vault will store 3,500-foot film reels filled with snapshots of Github repositories, including the Bitcoin codebase.

Why is this Significant?

The Arctic World Archive has a projected lifespan of 500 years. In addition, simulated aging tests show that it will last up until 1000 years. In short, a very long time.

With the ever growing dependence on digital backups, the importance of physical, hard-coded backups has been forgotten. In the event of extinction, digital backups will be irrelevant.

Long-term physical storage will help future generations understand what our digital life was like. While the Global Seed Storage is an insurance policy against global famine, the Arctic Code Vault is an insurance policy bolstering technological advancements. Whether this vault is uncovered and deciphered in the future remains unknown, but the fact that Bitcoin is still not dead will be true for a long time coming!

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