#Knowledge Preservation

[thechurchoftheatom]

[a-typical]

“Books permit us to voyage through time, to tap the wisdom of our ancestors. The library connects us with the insight and knowledge, painfully extracted from Nature, of the greatest minds that ever were, with the best teachers, drawn from the entire planet and from all our history, to instruct us without tiring, and to inspire us to make our own contribution to the collective knowledge of the human species. I think the health of our civilization, the depth of our awareness about the underpinnings of our culture and our concern for the future can all be tested by how well we support our libraries.” ― Carl Sagan, Cosmos

[blumoonfiction-blog]

Celebrating Historical Black Librarians and Art Curators: Shaping Culture, History, and Society

March is Women’s History Month, a time to honor the remarkable women who’ve shaped history in profound ways. This month, we turn our attention to the incredible legacy of Black women who have worked tirelessly in the fields of librarianship and art curation. These women, often operating in the face of systemic racism and cultural exclusion, have preserved knowledge, brought cultural awareness to…

[barbiediamondcastleofficial]

guys Sasha is not the responsible one in the archives. She saw a weird guy with fucked up hands and an uncanny laugh and immediately followed him to several secondary locations. I’m SO sorry to say this but the only og archives crew member with self-preservation instincts is Tim

[myopic-creation]

at les mis for the first time during intermission. someone tell me that revolutionary doesn't die, he looks so good in red but i'd like it to not be blood

future me, did he die

[thejakeformerlyknownasprince]

That's a good point - I'm thinking in terms of 21st century technology, where most books are treated to be pest-resistant and wrapped in covers that protect the text fairly well from sun/water/mold. Those types of books can be preserved with the minimal tech of a shelf to keep them flat and off the ground, in a place away from direct sun or moisture. But parchment, papyrus, and most pre-modern paper had far more risk, especially before the advent of climate controlled buildings.

just picturing ax pointing at the death note anime/manga/whatever adaptation going "YOU SEE! BOOKS ARE THE SUPERIOR TECHNOLOGY! WHY ELSE WOULD THE SHINIGAMI HAVE NOTEBOOKS AND NOT COMPUTERS!" 😂

Exactly!

Books also:

Can't be hacked

Can only be "deleted" with fire or lots of other physical effort

Don't contain ads

Involve permanent ownership

Aren't under corporate control

Are a permanent record that can't be edited without it being obvious that that happened

Retain all their value after several reads and several owners

Get exchanged freely between strangers

Have everything that NFTers act like they invented

Like, K.A. Applegate was onto something. Books really are the superior technology, especially when compared to an enshittified internet.

[canisalbus]

My auntie keeps Golden Guernsey goats on our island, like many of our local unique breeds of livestock they nearly went extinct in the starving during ww2 occupation surviving by only one smuggled flock. They're super friendly and energetic and their colouration might be of interest :eyes:

Oh OH these are very pretty

[myfandomrealitea]

FYI that now is a very good time to begin compiling and preserving offline information, records, resources, ect.

The internet is never forever, and with global stability and relations becoming increasingly unstable, especially within America, access to information and knowledge is no longer a guarantee. Especially if its online.

[mirensiart]

Silly little idea:

Four finds out that some temples in Legend's era have his bones and people pray to him through them to protect their kids or something (like catholics do with saints) and is deeply (and justifiably) concerned.

Hyrule tries to comfort Four by saying something along the lines of "Hey it's not so bad! In my time, one of the temples has Legend's d*ck in a pickle jar"

Legend, who is trans but hasn't told the others yet: "Well that's simply not possible."

Warriors: "Yeah, sadly it is. You'd be surprised what kinds of things can be preserved if you try hard enough."

Legend, deciding this would be the best way to come out: "No it's not, because I never had a d*ck in the first place!"

Legend: *walks away*

The Chain: *flabbergasted*

Four: *successfully distracted from his mental crisis*

ANON SHAKING YOU BY THE SHOULDERS

IS THIS A RASPUTIN REFERENCE

IS THIS A GOD DAMN RASPUTIN REFERENCE ?!?!?!?!?!?!

Anyway, trans legend my beloved I love this hc lmao

Also I see what u did there, is this ALSO a reference to four being in the palace of the four sword in alttp??? anon u sneaky thing

[lem0nademouth]

so what i’ve learned from reading comments and tags by people who hate Jeffery Goldberg is that 1. they are completely unserious, 2. they genuinely expect journalists to risk and/or sacrifice their lives (and potentially the lives of their loved ones), 3. they hate journalists who don’t violate laws or the code of ethical journalism and think presenting information without editorialization is bootlicking, 4. they are horrifyingly antisemitic

[gordonsicedcoffee]

Leigh Whannell on Recovery (1999)

extra:

me when I fckn GET u

[thechurchoftheatom]

A Sermon for May 21st: Shelter for the Body and the Conscience

Brothers and Sisters in the Atom, our faith teaches us to prepare—not because we wish for disaster, but because we refuse to be caught unaware. In the event of nuclear fallout, preparation is not only protection for ourselves. It is protection for memory. For knowledge. For the fragile, vital continuity of life.

This week, we turn to the subject of shelter—what it is, how to build it, and what it can represent. In an unstable world, a shelter is more than a structure. It is a choice. A statement of care. A quiet act of long-term love.

Why Build a Shelter?

Fallout from a nuclear event is not like flame or flood. It is silent. Invisible. But it clings to dust, soil, skin, and breath. And yet, it can be blocked—by dirt, stone, concrete, or water. A simple shelter, built with intention, can reduce radiation exposure by 90% or more.

During World War II, many families built bomb shelters to protect themselves from air raids. In the Cold War era, fallout shelters were promoted and constructed across entire nations—not out of fear alone, but as a form of civic responsibility.

Today, we inherit that legacy. Building a shelter is not panic—it is tradition. It is knowledge passed down through generations, adapted for the needs of our time.

But even beyond radiation, shelter building is an ancient practice of responsibility. One that allows us to hold space for others. One that, through the centuries, has taken many forms and served many roles—some of them still unspoken.

Basic Principles of Fallout Protection

Shielding: Dense materials between you and radioactive particles. Earth, water, concrete, books, and even filled containers all work.

Distance: The more space between you and contaminated surfaces, the better.

Time: The danger of fallout decreases significantly with each passing hour. A well-stocked shelter lets you wait safely.

How to Build a Simple Fallout Shelter

Option 1: Basement Corner Shelter

If you have access to a basement:

Choose a corner with the fewest windows and exterior walls.

Stack shielding materials—books, water containers, bricks, concrete blocks, dirt in bags—along the outside walls and across a roof of strong boards or doors.

Aim for at least 18 inches of dense material on all sides and above.

Create a crawl-in entrance. A simple L-shape with shielding will reduce exposure.

Ensure some air circulation and have backup lighting.

Stock with:

Water (1 gallon per person per day, for at least 2 weeks)

Long-lasting food

First aid kit

Sanitation supplies (bucket, bags, bleach)

Flashlights, batteries, hand-crank radio

Blankets, printed materials, and paper

📘 Further Reference:

Option 2: Earth-Covered Outdoor Shelter

If building outdoors:

Dig a trench about 3–4 feet deep, 6–8 feet long, and 4 feet wide.

Lay boards, doors, or other flat materials across the top.

Cover the top with at least 18 inches of packed soil.

Line the inside with tarps, blankets, or pallets to raise the floor above moisture.

Include vent pipes or filtered airflow, if possible.

On Concealment and Privacy

In any shelter, discretion is valuable. While there is no shame in preparation, we must recognize that not everyone outside our faith may look kindly upon those who plan ahead. In times of scarcity or unrest, a well-stocked shelter may attract unwanted attention—and, in the worst of times, attempts to seize it by force.

For your protection, consider:

Using furniture, bookshelves, or curtains to hide an interior entrance

Designing outdoor shelters with natural camouflage—brush, debris, or a removable cover

Blending shielding materials into everyday household storage

Keeping preparation documentation offline or physical

Concealment is not deception. It is the thoughtful act of ensuring that what you have built is not easily destroyed or taken in a moment of desperation. It is another layer of care.

The Quiet Lessons of History

There have been times in history—dark times—when shelters served more than one purpose. When rooms were built not only for safety, but for dignity, for hope, and for protection of what was right, even in the face of overwhelming wrong.

We remember those times not to draw direct comparisons, but to keep alive the knowledge that a shelter is never just wood and earth. It is also an act of belief in the future. A space to keep others safe. A way to honor the truth.

We do not need to name every possible use. Only to know that the act of building is sacred, and its purpose—whether now or generations from now—may one day matter more than we can yet understand.

Call to Reflect and Prepare

This week, consider:

Do I have what I need to protect my household for at least two weeks?

Do I know how to create a safe space using what I already have?

Am I willing to learn the quiet, steady work of building before I need it?

A good shelter can be raised in a weekend. Its meaning may last a lifetime.

Closing Words

Brothers and Sisters, the Church of the Atom does not preach fear. We preach readiness. We preach preservation. We preach the quiet strength of those who do the work when no one is watching.

Let the shelters we build be sanctuaries—for life, for knowledge, and for conscience. Let them carry forward not only bodies, but values. Let them stand as quiet proof that we believed tomorrow was worth surviving for.

Go forth, and be radiant.

[archivlibrarianist]

It sure isn't here, at Project Gutenberg, in multiple formats.

[reality-detective]

Food-preserving hacks 🤔

[fishsfailureson]

NGL I have a feeling the Homotherium mummy will become one of those specimens people (including me lmao) get overly emotional about (like the Berlin specimen of Archaeopteryx or the Sinosauropteryx holotype).

[cognitivejustice]

Two men who were instrumental in creating a global seed vault designed to safeguard the world's agricultural diversity will be honoured as the 2024 World Food Prize laureates.

Cary Fowler, the US special envoy for Global Food Security, and Geoffrey Hawtin, an agricultural scientist from the UK and executive board member at the Global Crop Diversity Trust, will be awarded the annual prize and split a $500,000 (€464,000) award. In 2004, Fowler and Hawtin led the effort to build a backup vault of the world's crop seeds in a place where it could be safe from political upheaval and environmental changes. 

The facility was built into the side of a mountain on a Norwegian island in the Arctic Circle where temperatures could ensure seeds would be preserved.

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault - also known as the 'Doomsday vault' - opened in 2008 and now holds 1.25 million seed samples from nearly every country in the world.