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Building a library of unread manuscripts, locked away until 2114

Part 4 of the TED Radio Hour episode Leaving a Mark. Check out Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.

Artist Katie Paterson is captivated by what humanity is leaving for future generations. So she created the Future Library, a collection of unread literature to be published a century from now.

About Katie Paterson

Katie Paterson is a Scottish conceptual artist. In her work, she collaborates with researchers and scientists to consider our place on Earth in the context of geological time.

Her current project is the Future Library. Her previous work includes broadcasting the sounds of a melting glacier live, mapping all the dead stars, creating a light bulb to simulate the experience of moonlight, compiling a slide archive of darkness in the universe, and sending a recast meteorite back into space.

Paterson has exhibited her works at major galleries including the MCA Sydney, Guggenheim Museum, Hayward Gallery, Tate Britain, and The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art.


This segment of the TED Radio Hour was produced by Andrea Gutierrez and edited by Sanaz Meshkinpour and Rachel Faulkner White. You can follow us on Facebook @TEDRadioHour and email us at TEDRadioHour@npr.org.

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Andrea Gutierrez (she/her) is an assistant producer on It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders. She's drawn to stories at the intersections of gender, race, class and ability in arts and culture.
Manoush Zomorodi is the host of TED Radio Hour. She is a journalist, podcaster and media entrepreneur, and her work reflects her passion for investigating how technology and business are transforming humanity.
Rachel Faulkner is a producer and editor for TED Radio Hour.