Guests on this episode of TED Radio Hour include artist CM Ralph, digital librarian Brewster Kahle, molecular biologist Dina Zielinski, and archaeologist Chris Fisher. They discuss preserving LGBTQ history through a video game, archiving the web and ebooks, challenges in digitizing books and digital ownership, a scientific solution for archival data, discovering ancient cities with LiDAR technology, and using LiDAR data to understand and address environmental issues.

Information feels more accessible than ever, but the ways we store data are surprisingly fragile. Can we save anything forever? This hour, TED speakers explore preserving our past, present and future. Guests include artist CM Ralph, digital librarian Brewster Kahle, molecular biologist Dina Zielinski and archaeologist Chris Fisher.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Brewster Kahle, the founder of the Internet Archive and a digital preservation pioneer, shares his mission to safeguard humanity's knowledge amid significant challenges. He discusses the impact of cyberattacks and copyright battles that threaten universal access to information. Kahle reflects on the historical importance of libraries and the urgent need for modern solutions to digital preservation. He also examines the influence of AI on information access and the corporate dominance reshaping the future of libraries, emphasizing a vision for empowering publishers and preserving creativity.

Brewster Kahle, founder of the Internet Archive, and James Grimmelman, a digital law expert, delve into the urgent threat facing our digital history. They discuss the staggering role of the Wayback Machine, which preserves over 900 billion web pages. The pair tackle the legal battles against copyright claims from publishers that jeopardize public access to vital information. They emphasize the significance of digital memory, drawing parallels to George Orwell's '1984', and underscore the critical need to protect our archives for future generations.

Digital librarian Brewster Kahle and lawyer Kyle Courtney discuss the lawsuit between megapublishers and the Internet Archive, potential changes to libraries with e-books, information as a public good, and the consequences if publishers win.