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Located in Longyearbyen, the northernmost settlement in the world with fewer than 3,000 residents, the Arctic World Archive is nestled inside a decommissioned coal mine, about 300 meters underground. The harsh Arctic environment, combined with international treaties and permafrost’s natural cold dryness, provides an exceptional shield against external threats, whether climate change, natural disaster, or human conflict.
This bleak yet secure environment offers a stark contrast to traditional archives and data centers. Inside, priceless manuscripts from the Vatican, historical documents from Brazil’s football heritage, and diverse cultural artifacts are stored alongside one of the most modern and vital resources of our age: open-source software code.