How blockchain can save the Alexandria library

The research of historical past and antiquity is extraordinarily vital in preserving the information handed down by means of generations.

Unfortunately, the significance of data is very extreme when it’s misplaced. With tragedies equivalent to the hearth in the Alexandria library or the pillage of the House of Wisdom in historic Baghdad or, extra not too long ago, the lack of artifacts in the Iraq Museum, views have been misplaced, advances made in philosophy and literature have been forgotten, and languages ​​and translations are by disappeared from the earth.

If we need to protect our historical past, how can we shield cultural heritage artifacts from catastrophe?

Using blockchain expertise to report information saved in a decentralized cloud service could possibly be simply what the archive and historical past industries want to guard their collective human historical past. We are protected from destruction, looting and flawed Records protected.

Blockchain as an information guardian

The storage trade is understaffed in lots of sub-areas and doesn’t have the sources to correctly keep the information it holds. As outlined on this 2014 assertion asking for extra funding for the US archives, it’s clear that the lack of funding on many fronts may lead to the lack of bodily and digital data.

An different is to retailer information instantly on the blockchain. David Vorick, CEO of Skynet and co-founder of Sia, advised Cointelegraph, “A major benefit of using blockchain is that you can build on an open market that guarantees fair prices for everyone.” This prevents third events from getting into Contribute to funding, whereas guaranteeing that neighborhood members who work to guard their heritage can fund the storage system instantly.

Vorick added, “If you are dependent on outside infrastructure, give your infrastructure provider the opportunity to completely disrupt your business – which they will be happy to take advantage of” in your personal profit.

There are sometimes considerations about the legality, safety, and confidentiality of data saved. Many paperwork and data are stored for the individuals in the neighborhood and subsequently have to be stored protected in the pursuits of their inheritance. It is in the nature of blockchain-based information stewards to guard info by not storing it in a centralized database, as some main establishments do, making them extra susceptible to information breaches, however relatively by “splitting and storing files.” ship completely different servers “. or nodes, thereby reducing the possibility of external control over user data “.

Another vital facet when storing an archive in the blockchain is the immutability of the doc itself. The Social Science Research Council states: “But online repositories are also susceptible to undetectable deletion of content. It is also noted that in 2001 writers were granted rights to an online archive of their works, but other parties could enter and delete the writer’s works without disclosure of information or removal of the article. Articles and publications were lost because some articles were deemed not to be salvageable.

Blockchain repositories can store data on nodes around the world to ensure that it is an integral part of the blockchain and therefore in history.

This conveniently leads to the next part of the benefits of blockchain technology: granting credit when due by creating immutable proof of ownership. By using a blockchain, there will be no doubt about who owns what – such as digital passports for documents and records.

Blockchain enthusiasts often declare that “immutability provides integrity” and protects who owns a document and who has and has access to it. For example, the immutable token or NFT leads the art industry to view property differently, “and enables artists to protect their creations from forgery and duplication on site”. By using the same idea in storage and data collection, there is always a way to ensure that records, proven original owners, and original formatting are not tampered with.

Related: How does blockchain work? Everything you need to know

How to help

In hindsight, we can look back at history to see what happened and what could help.

While this may serve to prevent other similar problems, or simply out of curiosity, this practice can save our dying languages ​​and preserve people’s memories for generations to come.

Imagine if all the records that were lost in the great fire of the Alexandria Library – or those that were lost 500 years later in the destruction of their temple, the Serapeum – were kept on a blockchain. What information will we study and learn that could have changed modern society forever?

During the sack of ancient Baghdad’s House of Wisdom, home to some of the best translations in the world, philosophical and religious texts were destroyed and thrown on Tigris, “blacking it out” for six months as ink from thousands of books drowned in its metaphorical death was. “The loss of these precious records has done immeasurable damage to our understanding of humanity, which is often viewed as a way to undermine heritage and rewrite stories. Therefore, according to the United Nations Education, Science and Culture Lost Memory – Libraries and Archives Destroyed in the 20th Century, the United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organization “must take steps to preserve our written heritage “.

Using immutable blockchain technology to secure records could be of great use in the 2018 fire that destroyed the National Museum of Brazil and destroyed priceless records of history and works. Dalton de Souza Amorim, a professor at the University of São Paulo, notes that “worst loss is anthropological collections,” which are indigenous language records that are now lost forever.

While blockchain technology cannot protect physical objects from accidental or intentional damage, data from these subjects and researchers is recorded, much like audio recordings of people doing the work.

The American anthropologist Clifford Geertz stated in his essay “Religion as a Cultural System” that culture “is a historically transmitted pattern of meaning embodied in symbols, a system of inherited ideas that are symbolized by the way people are communicate, exist and their knowledge of life and attitude to life ”and thus the safety of the voice recording is important to guard the cultures of the individuals.

Transferring ownership of a blockchain would calm the ongoing debate about who owns what, no matter who discovered it out and who at present owns it. This is very true when one thinks of the current successes of Iraq and Egypt, demanding the return of 11,500 artifacts after a battle for proof of ownership and “coordinating the return of about 5,000 pieces of ancient papyrus and 6,500 ancient clay objects because the artifacts are not.” are dependable “. Origin or historic property. “By utilizing the blockchain, nations and communities now not have to say paperwork or data, as all related info is recorded and protected against manipulation.

Now that we’re armed with blockchain expertise, we can place ourselves to guard our information and historical past and move it on to future generations with out worry of it presumably being misplaced without end. When we all know the significance of blockchain expertise in storing and retrieving info, simply think about what number of Alexandria libraries could possibly be saved in the future.