In 1000 years our ancestors may hold up a carefully preserved final exam booklet, but may see the contents as gibberish. (In this case, the difference may not be so significant).

But unless some larger organization wishes to perform a more comprehensive survey, my guess is that this list is as good as any.

The second major challenge the Times faced was actually creating something that would last for a millennium--after all, that's an awfully long time. How can information be stored so that it will be readable in a thousand years? How can we insure the vessel won't be lost or destroyed? Possible solutions ranged from shooting the capsule into outer space to embedding the information in cockroach DNA.

In the end, the Times decided to place the artifacts in a structure resembling a giant fortune cookie. For preservation purposes, the artifacts will be suspended in thermal-gel insulation and the container will be filled with argon gas. Custody will be given to the Museum of Natural History.

Since neither argon gas nor thermal-gel is available for our use, I asked some students how they proposed to insure that the Class of 3000 would receive our gift.

Not surprisingly, most of the answers centered on burying the thing--either in the middle of the Yard, under the steps of Widener Library or beneath the banks of the Charles.

Others suggested that if such a capsule were created, we, like the Times, should give custody to some organization that will be around for the next 1000 years.