We are Ken Jennings and John Rodrick.

We speak to you from our present, which we can only assume is your distant past, the

turbulent time that was the early 21st century.

Fearing the great cataclysm that will surely befall our civilization, we began this monumental

reference of strange and obscure human knowledge.

These recordings represent our attempt to compile and preserve wonders and esoterica that

would otherwise be lost.

So whether you're listening from an advanced civilization or have just reinvented the

technology to decrypt our transmissions, this is our legacy to you.

This is our time capsule.

This is The Omnibus.

You have accessed entry 138.jee 1316, certificate number 7505.

The bodies of Mount Everest.

They reached the Hillary step, a 40-foot wall of exposed rock.

Climbers maneuver up the cracks and over the rocky outcrop while clipped into the fixed

ropes.

Only one climber can ascend at a time.

This is where bottlenecks occur.

They silently pass by the body of a climber from an earlier expedition who died here on

the ropes.

Happy New Year, John.

Did I say happy New Year to you ever?

...