Preparing for the future

Ancient Egypt provides key to storing nuclear heritage

The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority has undertaken an £8bn project to dismantle 26 research reactors and bury nuclear waste (that will remain dangerous for thousands of years) in concrete bunkers and storage facilities.

The problem is that the details of the dismantling and the dangers in handling of the plutonium, uranium and other wastes are outlined on computer software that will become outdated in a decade.

Fortunately, someone remembered their ancient history - and the papyrus scrolls beloved of the Egyptians. When stored in the right conditions, the scrolls can preserve readable records for millennia, making them perfect for the nuclear waste industry.

Straight from a sci-fi movie. Look for The Papyrus to come out next year, starring Bruce Willis as the dad who works on the project to figure out what the writing on the papyrus says.