On 23 Feb 2007 at 15:23, der Mouse wrote:
  Of course, they're not much good for backups
(which is where this
 started), unless you have *really* small amounts of data to back up,
 but yes, we as a species can create artifacts that last many centuries;
 we know this because we have artifacts that have already lasted many
 centuries. 
Heck, we've "manufactured" artifacts that will last for a hundred
thousand years or more.  Just google "Yucca Mountain".
Cheers,
Chuck