The war that destroyed historic artifacts in Timbuktu already spans multiple continents. Ansar Dine learned their approach from Saudi clerics who came to Libya via Pakistan. The same movement did the 9/11 attacks in the US. It's a hot war in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, and it's terrorism in Europe and the US.

And redundancy? Around 240BC, the first Qin emperor in China had all non-technical books burned. We have much of the oldest Chinese literature because it was restored from memory after his death.

If someone wants to burn it all, and can get enough power, they will find a way.

lol, I was not expecting that comment to generate any controversy. :)

So you feel that even if we had archives buried in bunkers underground, on 6 continents, that somebody could still destroy all of it? I hear what you're saying about if they can get enough power, I just don't see anyone succeeding in taking over the entire world. I guess I'm an optimist :P

You don't need to take over the whole world. You just need access to six nuclear weapons...

> (i know about the world wars , but those didnt affect south america or most of africa and asia

Really? Russia, Japan, the fall of the Ottoman empire, the creation of the state of Israel and its ongoing repercussions, the start of a century of US involvement in South America to protect the Panama Canal and other assets, Mussolini, Libya, Tunisia, and Morocco were not enough for you? China lost 14 million people to WWII...

WWII is pretty much singlehandedly responsible as a turning point for the ongoing mess in South America, North Africa, and the Middle East.

my point was that archives in multiple locations would be much more resilient to destruction. Even if there is conflict, no single party could easily destroy the entire library if it was distributed. they might get one or two, but we wouldnt lose access to the libraries contents.