The Null Device

Japan's Ise Grand Shrine is both very old (having been established sometime between 4BCE and the 5th century) and very new; every 20 years, the shrine buildings at Naikū and Gekū are demolished and rebuilt. This symbolises the Shinto teachings of the cycle of death and renewal in nature and the impermanence of all things, and also serves to pass on the crafts and techniques used to build the shrine. In this case, one could say that destroying the artefact keeps the institution alive.

¶ culture history japan shinto the long now 1

Inspired by Danny Hillis' Clock of the Long Now, Longplayer is a device that plays a piece of music lasting 1,000 years. The first prototype uses a Macintosh and SuperCollider, recombining components; though a mechanical version, designed to last for millennia, is under development. (via Slashdot)

¶ art music the long now 0