When West Point archeologists pried open a 200-year-old time capsule left by cadets in the early 1800s, they expected to discover forgotten treasures and historic documents. Instead, they found gray clumps of dust and a few old coins.
This is the nightmare situation organizers with the America250 Commission are hoping to avoid this year as they work to bury priceless artifacts at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia for future Americans to open in 2276.
The project, mandated by Congress in 2016, has been no easy feat.
More: You're about to hear a lot about America's 250th birthday. Read this first.
“250 years is a really long time,” said Jacob Ricker, an engineer with the National Institute of Standards & Technology who has been working to build the capsule. The materials scientists plan to use to create a lasting vessel have never been tested for that length of time.
