on the permanence of amber. a sheild against time.

we exist in the open air. although we cannot see time, we can see it's effects. for a simple demonstration, leave an apple core on a plate on your kitchen table overnight. you'll note that come morning time will have slightly charred the apple core leaving it dry and discolored.

this is just one of countless demonstrations one can conduct on the effects of time on an organic object. scientifically we give terms such as taphonomy to the decomposition process. however, as many times as we attempt to label this 'process', everything must happen in the cradle and presence of time.

throughout history and as early as ancient egypt, humans have tried to prevent decay and decomposition of human corpses. this act of embalming comes from a deep instinct for preservation. the moment that humans became aware of their own mortality, the need for preservation quickly ensued. the most recent and modern incarnations of preservation are done by way of cryonics (cryogenics). I believe that self preservation will keep on taking different forms as humans evolve in future times...possibly to the point of preserving what we label the soul, mind, or self.

it isn't a new notion that fossilized amber takes on a mysterious role in preserving nature. the most interesting aspect of it to me are the literal and metaphorical possibilities. sure, amber may be able to preserve the DNA of dinosaurs and other biological lifeforms, but it is also the only substance that can shield an organism from the sheering winds of time. going back to the short vignette at the beginning of this entry regarding the apple core..without preservation the core lays pray to whatever force time manifests itself as. this seems simple and obvious, but that is what makes it so fascinating. any new perspectives on time are refreshing this day in age when calendars and digital clocks rule the world.

self preservation is crucial and always will be. someday we may actually understand time enough to be able to reverse it, forward it, and stop it. wouldn't that be something? until then, anti-aging creams can shield our bodies from the ravages of time while amber can preserve the human imagination.

what is time to you?