Or I'll do the Google thing... [spoiler]The reference Lodi makes to the quipu (also spelled khipu) is a nod to a real-world ancient "computer" and record-keeping system used by the Inca Empire and other Andean cultures. In the context of Destiny 2, it highlights the long history of humanity trying to solve the problem of information storage—moving from physical objects to light (Glimmer/Engrams) and eventually to the paracausal or Vex-like "eternal" data Lodi mentions. What is a Quipu? A quipu consisted of a main cord from which hundreds of smaller, multi-colored strings were suspended. Information was encoded into these strings through a complex system of knots. Here is how it functioned as a form of "data": * Numerical Data (The Knots): The knots were tied at specific positions to represent a decimal system (base-10). A knot's position on the string indicated its power of ten (ones, tens, hundreds), much like how we use columns in written math. * Categorical Data (The Colors): The color of the string often represented the subject of the data. For example, a red string might track military numbers, while a yellow string tracked corn harvests. * The "Syntax" (The Twist): Even the direction the string was twisted (S-twist or Z-twist) could signify different meanings, acting as a secondary layer of encoding. Why Lodi Calls it "Language in Knots" For a long time, Western scholars thought quipus were just simple abacuses for counting. However, modern research suggests they were semasiographic—a system of "writing" that conveys meaning without representing the sounds of a specific spoken language. In Destiny terms, you can think of it as a low-tech Engram. Just as an Engram stores the "state" of an object in light, a quipu stored the "state" of the Inca Empire’s resources, census data, and even narrative histories in physical fiber. Why "It Wouldn't Survive the Apocalypse" Lodi’s point is about durability vs. density: * Punch cards and discs are fragile and succumb to rot or magnetic decay. * Quipus are made of organic fibers (cotton or wool). While they lasted centuries in the dry Peruvian climate, they would easily be destroyed by fire, moisture, or the passage of thousands of years (the "eternity" Lodi is searching for). * Light/Glimmer (the later stage he mentions) is the Golden Age solution: turning data into programmable matter that can theoretically last forever if maintained. The Connection to Destiny’s Lore The quipu is a perfect metaphor for Destiny’s themes because it represents the physicality of information. In the game, we see the Vex turning entire planets into data, or the Darkness "remembering" things into existence. Lodi is looking back at a time when "saving data" required a person to physically tie a knot—a far cry from the paracausal "eternal" storage he eventually worked on. Would you like to look more into how the Golden Age "light-based" data storage (like Engrams) differs from the way the Vex store information in their Infinite Forest? [/spoiler]