Amazon founder and billionaire Jeff Bezos has allocated $42 million to fund the construction of a colossal clock set to tick for an astonishing 10,000 years. The clock, known as “The Clock of the Long Now,” is taking shape within the Sierra Diablo range in West Texas, USA, inside a mountain.
Designed by computer scientist and inventor Danny Hillis, this engineering marvel is intended not only to keep precise time for the next ten millennia but also to serve as a symbolic reminder of humanity’s responsibility to the future. The clock, currently under construction by the Long Now Foundation, is slated to be a monument of epic proportions, standing at an impressive 500 feet, spanning the entirety of the mountain’s height.
Unlike conventional clocks, this timepiece will operate on a unique rhythm, ticking only once a year, tolling once a century, and cuckooing once a millennium. Bezos was reportedly inspired by Hillis’s visionary concept, envisioning a clock that embodies the principles of long-term thinking.
“The Clock is hundreds of feet tall, engineered to require minimal maintenance, and powered by mechanical energy harvested from sunlight as well as the people that visit it,” states the Long Now Foundation on its website, emphasizing its commitment to sustainability.
At the heart of the clock’s design are intricate components such as a solar synchronizer, a pendulum, a chime generator, and an array of gears and dials. The chime generator alone is set to produce over 3.5 million unique bell chime sequences, ensuring that each day holds a distinctive acoustic experience for visitors over the next 10,000 years.
The clock will meticulously keep track of the year, century, and millennium, staying in synchronization with the sun at noon. Five anniversary chambers within the structure will commemorate significant milestones, with the first featuring a model of the solar system and the subsequent chambers left open for future generations to contribute.
Situated in the Sierra Diablo range, reaching the clock’s interior gears will require a day’s hike starting at dawn, as highlighted on the foundation’s website. Although the completion date remains undisclosed, the clock is being engineered to withstand natural forces such as temperature changes, humidity, and dust.
While entry to the site is expected to be free, visitor numbers will be restricted, offering a unique and restricted pilgrimage-like experience. Bezos’s investment reflects not only a fascination with long-term vision but a commitment to fostering responsibility and reflection on the scale of centuries and millennia.
