The Compact Oxford English Dictionary defines a time capsule as “a container storing a selection of objects chosen as being typical of the present time, buried for discovery in the future.” Another definition, from Wikipedia, is a historic cache of goods and/or information, usually intended as a method of communication with people in the future.

The phrase “time capsule” has been in use since about 1937 when, during preparations for the 1939 New York World’s Fair, someone suggested burying a “time bomb” for 5,000 years. A more discreet name of “time capsule” was suggested, and the name has stuck since. But the idea is as old as the earliest human civilizations in Mesopotamia.

Traditional time capsules involve cramming stuff into a metal box and burying it in a hole in the ground. Although this works, Forbes has come up with a digital personal solution.

Concept: E-Mail Time Capsule
How It Works: You fill out an email form, and at some date in the future, Forbes (and their partners) will try to ensure this gets mailed to you.
When: 1/3/5/10/20 years (you decide)
Cost: FREE

Where will you be in 1 year? What will your life be like in 3 years or 10 years? My suggestion is to sit down and write yourself a note or a letter. Saying what? That’s up to you. My plan is to try to outline where I think I will be or where I would like to be. Then at the desired time, my email arrives (hopefully) and I can do a check to see how I’ve done. Should prove to be interesting.