Inheritance: The Arctic Code Vault

Deep inside an abandoned coal mine in the Arctic, there are 186 reels of photographic film holding millions of software projects. Some of that code runs the internet. Some of it is unfinished homework. In 2020, GitHub put it all there, hoping it would survive for a thousand years. But how do you preserve software for someone who may never have seen a computer? And why go to such extraordinary lengths to save it in the first place?   In this episode The Arctic Code Vault: How an abandoned coal mine on Spitsbergen became a home for millions of software projects   Piql's photographic film: How microscopic mirrors, green light, and grains of silver can preserve digital information for ages   A guide for an unknown reader: The instructions, translations, and apologies left for whoever might eventually find the archive An unfinished project: A student's unexpected contribution to the vault, and a message for the evolved dolphins who might someday read it   Episode Music:   Jay Opie / Nihilore, CC BY 4.0The Woods Shall Wave on Mountains Negative One Alone by the Fire Additional Reading bobbysq. (2020, July 19). [Reply to the discussion “Robotics repositories in the Arctic Code Vault”]. Chief Delphi. https://www.chiefdelphi.com/t/robotics-repositories-in-the-arctic-code-vault/386554 CNCKing. (2023, January 23). Custom GitHub Arctic Code Vault fabrication. https://cncking.com/custom-github-arctic-code-vault-fabrication/ Evans, J. (2022, September 20). “If you don’t make it beautiful, it’s for sure doomed”: Putting the Vault in GitHub’s Arctic Code Vault. The GitHub Blog. https://github.blog/open-source/maintainers/if-you-dont-make-it-beautiful-its-for-sure-doomed-putting-the-vault-in-githubs-arctic-code-vault/ GitHub. (2020, November 5). A guide to the GitHub Code Vault. https://github.com/github/archive-program/blob/master/GUIDE.md Metcalf, J. (2020, February 3). The Arctic Code Vault starts production and your open source projects are being archived. The GitHub Blog. https://github.blog/open-source/maintainers/the-arctic-code-vault-starts-production-and-your-open-source-projects-are-being-archived/ Metcalf, J. (2020, July 16). GitHub Archive Program: The journey of the world’s open source code to the Arctic. The GitHub Blog. https://github.blog/news-insights/company-news/github-archive-program-the-journey-of-the-worlds-open-source-code-to-the-arctic/ Piql. (2026, October 19). piqlFilm. https://piql.com/technology/film/ Piql. (2026, October 19). piqlWriter. https://piql.com/technology/writer/ Sabliński, J., & Trujillo, A. (2021). Piql. Long-term preservation technology study. Archeion, 122, 13–32. https://doi.org/10.4467/26581264ARC.21.011.14491 Support the show 💚 This show is independently produced. You can support the show by joining the show's Patreon. Patreon members get access to "Found in the Margins" bonus episodes and help make the show possible. You can also donate via Buy Me a Coffee. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And don't forget to sign up to receive Notes from the Machine with each episode.