Preserving the Memory of Sweden's Nuclear Waste for 100,000 Years

**Sweden faces the challenge of preserving the memory of its radioactive nuclear waste for 100,000 years.** Researchers at Linköping University have developed a solution: the Key Information File (KIF), a document designed to ensure future generations remember the buried waste.* Led by Thomas Keating and Professor Anna Storm, the research produced a 42-page document consisting of a summary, critical information, and future instructions.* The KIF aims to entice and engage future readers through an aesthetically pleasing design, mysterious codes, and easy-to-understand language.* The document encourages constant updates and adaptation, suggesting inclusion in school curricula and cultural expressions to keep the memory alive.* This method—termed SHIRE (SHare, Imagine, REnew)—invites readers to share and renew the information over time.* Universities might develop a new research area focusing on memory preservation for long-term projects.* The KIF will be archived at The Swedish National Archives and included in the Memory of Mankind project, ensuring preservation on durable ceramic tablets stored in Austria.* While SKB funded the project, it remains unclear who will maintain these efforts long-term.* Currently, very few in the nuclear industry focus on long-term memory preservation, highlighting a gap that may demand new academic inquiries.*