America just buried a message for people living in 2276. Some of the items inside are wild
A collection of treasures including a molecular safety deposit box and a glass Coke bottle were encased in metal this week, not to be opened for another 250 years. Known as America’s Time Capsule, the commemorative project is part of the country’s 250th anniversary celebration, which will see the vessel buried on Independence Mall in Philadelphia this Fourth of July. The capsule was curated by America250, an organization created by Congress in 2016 to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which falls on July 4, 2026. Beyond the more traditional celebrations, the group crafted a time capsule intended to “preserve a representative record” of the country as it crosses the anniversary threshold. The capsule itself is a 900-pound (408-kilogram) steel cylinder designed to withstand temperature and moisture conditions that should keep it intact for another 250 years. Constructed from the soft metal indium, the cylinder has a structure that can deform itself under load “to fill any microscopic imperfections in the sealing groove.” But the cylinder will also be situated in a protective air pocket created by a 1,100-pound stainless steel bell jar placed over it. The capsule was sealed for the long haul this week at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, Maryland. “Now that America’s Time Capsule has been sealed, it carries with it a remarkable record of this moment in our nation’s history,” said Rosie Rios, the America250 chair. “This moment is as much about the future as it is the past. When it is opened in 2276, future generations will see the care, pride, and optimism with which Americans marked our 250th anniversary.” Optimism isn’t exactly the prevailing mood of the era, as the U.S. strains under the weight of an affordability crisis, political polarization that turns violent at times, and a deep-seated disillusionment about the American dream. Nonetheless, America250 may succeed in its broader m