Elizabeth Day, Assistant University Archivist for Records Management, and Irina Schmid, Instructor and Digital Collections Archivist, both work at the American University in Cairo.
THE WHITE DESERT STORY
The White Desert is a one-of-a-kind landscape in Egypt, known for its breathtaking rock formations created by wind erosion over millions of years. These formations are made of white chalk and have been sculpted into a variety of shapes and structures, such as mushrooms, cones, and columns.
From a cultural perspective, the White Desert is a well-known tourist destination and UNESCO World Heritage site. The distinctive rock formations, combined with the stark beauty of the surrounding desert, make it a popular destination for photographers, hikers, and adventurers alike.
From a scientific perspective, The White Desert provides important scientific insights into the erosion and sedimentation processes that have shaped the Earth's surface throughout history. The White Desert's distinctive formations and patterns can help scientists better understand how wind, water, and other natural forces interacted over time to create the world we know today.
Overall, the White Desert's unique geological features and cultural significance make it an appealing destination for both scientists and tourists. However, the economic benefits of tourism must be balanced against the need to protect and preserve the fragile ecosystem of the White Desert for future generations to enjoy.
THE HARD DRIVE STORY
The Hard Drive is a type of digital storage that is widely used around the world and is well-known for its ability to store massive amounts of data. Drives are made of plastic and magnetized metal, coming in a variety of shapes and structures, with data capacities initially starting at 4 MB in the 1950’s to today’s 20 TB or more.
From a cultural standpoint, the Hard Drive serves as an important storage space for data generated by digitally born or digized processes that contain historical information. The distinctive formations and patterns of the Hard Drive assist people in preserving images, audio, and media recordings so that future generations can understand the world we live in.
From a scientific standpoint, the Hard Drive is a relatively delicate medium, with many concerns. While it is a low-cost medium for storing digital data, it carries a high number of risks. These risks include: 1) Hard drives, like any other piece of equipment, age and fail with time. 2) Susceptible to human error - accidental file deletion, editing, and dropping of hard drives. 3) May become outdated as a result of hardware obsolescence.
Overall, the Hard Drive is an excellent way to save data; however, efforts must be made to mitigate these impacts by establishing preservation logistics and implementing sustainable practices. It is critical to strike a balance between the cultural benefits of hard drives and the scientific approaches required to protect and preserve the fragile digital ecosystem for future generations to enjoy.