How conceptual art helps us grasp the scale of deep time

Art · Published 7 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In this lively TED talk, artist Katie Paterson explores the vast history of Earth through works that span millions of years, challenging our modern short-sightedness.

Paterson uses art to engage with the concept of deep time, presenting projects such as a telephone line connected to a melting glacier and maps of dying stars. Her work includes the Future Library, a forested room containing unrecorded manuscripts from famous authors. These works are intended to remain unread and unpublished until the year 2114.

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