An iconic, timeless landmark for future thinking.
American entrepreneur, Jeff Bezos, has invested a hefty $42 million (over £33 million) into the construction of what is set to be one of the world's biggest clocks. Sadly, those of you reading this won't be around to see the clock hands move.
The clock will hold a height of 500ft in the sky and tick only once a year - yes, you heard that right!
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Obviously, Bezos himself isn't building the clock. However, the site of the clock will be based on a mountain owned by Bezos in West Texas. Of course, Bezos owns a mountain!
And it won't be easy to spot for the average, curious person either. For one, the nearest airport is hours away by car. Meanwhile, the foot trail up to the clock reaches an incline of around 2,000 ft above the valley floor. So sneak peeks are off the table!
The Amazon founder also didn't come up with the idea himself. That in fact was proposed by computer scientist and inventor Danny Hillis. In 1995, Hillis dreamed up a clock with a twist – it would tick just once a year, causing the century hand to move forward every 100 years.
And the cherry on top?
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The cuckoo will sound on the millennium mark, though I'm not sure if that will outdo the annual London fireworks display.
Hillis knows he isn't going to be around to see the clock tick-tock, but he hopes the clock will keep time for the next 10,000 years. He put it nicely: "I know I am a part of a story that starts long before I can remember and continues long beyond when anyone will remember me."
Fast forward to now – after years of brainstorming and bringing the concept to life - the final design is finished. And the construction of the clock is now underway.
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So far, engineers have carved five room-sized chambers - for one, 10, 100, 1000, and 10,000 year anniversaries.
Powered by the Earth's thermal cycle, the construction workers are said to provide a 'mechanic interface into the chambers of the clock' for the future builders to continue the work.
If you're frustrated that you won't be around to see the clock in action, don't lose hope just yet!
Should all go to plan, Bezos aims to create an animation of the clock to celebrate its 10th anniversary. The rest is for future eyes only.