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Shifting through the mossy undergrowth of Germanys Black Forest, antennae raised and leg joints quietly clicking forward, OLE (pronounced oh-luh) is a St. Bernardsize bug on the prowl. But this mechanized insect isnt a scavenger—its a guardian.

Once upon a time, when banks observed the gold standard, every dollar was backed by an equal amount of metal. Put simply, your money was in the vault. But now cash is all most people ever get to hold, and as the dollar goes digital, the only tangible vestige of your wealth will soon be the computer that keeps track of it. So where is your money today?