Time Capsules
Revolutionary timelock encryption for the Nostr protocol
What are Time Capsules?
Time Capsules represent a revolutionary advancement in cryptographic messaging, allowing you to create messages that can only be decrypted at a specific future time. Unlike traditional encryption where you control when to decrypt, Time Capsules use the drand network's distributed randomness beacon to create truly time-bound encryption.
Automatic Decryption
Messages automatically become readable at the specified future time, powered by the drand network's distributed beacon.
Decentralized Trust
No single entity controls when decryption happens - it's guaranteed by the drand network's cryptographic beacon.
How Time Capsules Work
Create Message
Write your message and choose when it should be revealed
Timelock Encrypt
Message is encrypted using future drand randomness that doesn't exist yet
Publish to Nostr
Encrypted capsule is published as a Nostr event (kind 1041)
Auto Decrypt
When the time arrives, anyone can decrypt using the drand beacon
Two Capsule Modes
Public Time Capsules
Anyone can decrypt the message once the specified time arrives. Perfect for public announcements, predictions, or time-delayed revelations.
Private Time Capsules
Only specific recipients can decrypt the message after the time arrives. Combines timelock encryption with recipient-specific encryption using NIP-44 and NIP-59.
Real-World Use Cases
Future Predictions
Make predictions about future events and reveal them automatically when the time comes.
Scheduled Announcements
Schedule important announcements to be revealed at specific times without manual intervention.
Digital Will
Leave messages for the future that are automatically revealed after a specified time period.
Time-Sensitive Secrets
Share sensitive information that should only be revealed after a specific event or time.
Coordinated Reveals
Coordinate simultaneous reveals across multiple parties without central coordination.
Time Capsule Messages
Send birthday wishes, anniversary messages, or other personal notes to be delivered in the future.
Technical Integration
{
"kind": 1041,
"content": "<encrypted_payload>",
"tags": [
["tlock", "<drand_round>", "<mode>"],
["p", "<recipient_pubkey>"] // only for private mode
],
"created_at": 1696118400,
"pubkey": "...",
"id": "...",
"sig": "..."
}Implementation Resources
Relay Support
wss://shu01.shugur.netStart Using Time Capsules Today
Experience the future of time-bound messaging with our live demo and comprehensive documentation.