Into Eternity

After the introduction given to us by the Finnish nuclear energy authority during the workshop in Helsinki about the radioactive waste repository in Olkiluoto, I was interested enough to do a quick Internet search on it, and I found that the Onkalo facility (the name of the repository) has its own documentary film, Into Eternity, where the people gave us the introduction were actually interviewed. I made myself watch that film: it's not often my work come into contact with popular culture.

First impression: the documentary is a lot bleaker and less entertaining than ones I am used to (ones about obese Americans or the economic crisis, for example). If the slow pace of the film meant to reflect upon the 100,000 year time scale of the problem, I sure can relate the gravity of the situation by the time it's over.

At the end of the day, I feel that it is a bit arrogant of use to design structures that will last for eternity. The Great Wall of China is merely a couple if thousand years old.

I have two main thoughts after watching the documentary.

First I liked the debate about if there should be 'markers' at Onkalo. Markers are signs placed around the site, indicating dangerous things are placed underground, and warn future generations not to dig there. It's designed so that that message should never be forget. On the other hand if the markers remain, but the message is lost (for example after 1000 years a whole new civilisation has replace the current population), all they will know is that something is buried there, and see little reason to not dig them up. A better solution would just to forget about the repository, consigning it to oblivion. It is a big world, and it's unlikely anyone would uncover it by chance.

Secondly, I think the narrator imagined future humans to be way too innocent, describing them as if they are child-like entities: 'stay away, and you will be safe'. I believe if future humans do one day uncover this cave-full of radioactive waste, if their technological level is a lot lower than ours (maybe a couple of ice ages and civilisations have come and past), it is likely that they would mine it. It is, after all, filled with valuable materials like copper, uranium, plutonium etc. Sure, close contact with whatever produced from the site would kill eventually, but I foresee the metal to be seen as 'magical', or even 'cursed', a whole religion would base around it.

"... And the ancients slain the god of the mountains for power, divided up her body and entombed the remains in these caves. See how the rocks are still warm to touch! It is said that whoever stays too long in these caves will incur the death curse of the god.."

But whatever the outcome, I suppose none of us will live long enough to find out.