What is the best science fiction story or book you have read? One of my favorites was a researcher had figured out how ancient pot makers discussions could be recovered by considering the pot as an unintentional recording cylinder during manufacturing. He then used laser scanning to reconstruct the ongoing conversations. But instead of finding out what ancient culture was like, he just heard ancient gossip about who was shagging who.
Armageddon 2419 A.D.. It's the original Buck Rogers novel and is nothing like the old movie serial or the TV show.