15-05-2003 09:07									#91
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We would probably be shipping heavy metals to earth (or water or something from asteroids) so the weight difference wouldn't be as much.

	15-05-2003 09:10									#92
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quote: Originally posted by Japher Just to note that if someone is traveling at 0.99c there is no time dialation, this only occurs during times of acceleration. Thus, compared to someone else, at a different relative we could be traveling 0.99c right now!

No. Time dilation is caused by velocity, not acceleration. Besides, acceleration "breaks" relativity anyway, since you can tell who is moving and who isn't.

	15-05-2003 09:14									#93
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quote: Originally posted by Ramo The thing is, I don't think slightly stronger and slightly smarter people than average would be selected out of the population, and neither would slightly stronger weaker and slightly dumber people. I don't think the differences are significant enough. Selective pressures only come in when the differences become important.

Selection works on two levels, upon a species, and upon individuals. I don't see any selection pressure against Homo Sapiens Sapiens now (other than what we created ourselves, such as overpopulation and pollution), but there might still be some selection against dumber people.

	15-05-2003 09:19									#94
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quote: Originally posted by Starchild Remove it from the Earth. A mix of space based solar energy collectors beaming energy to powernetworks supplemented by local wind/tide/hydro plants would be ideal. Most energy would of course go into the electrolysis of water to provide hydrogen.

It's a lot more energy efficient to extract hydrogen from methane, which comes mainly from natural gas, but it could be produced by a number of renewable ways too. You get twice as much hydrogen, and the C-H bond is easier to break than the O-H bond.

	15-05-2003 09:20									#95
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quote: Also... if time slows down with the speed of light, if we fell into a black hole, would we ever get there? I mean, if we keep accelerating, we'd keep slowing time down... and eventually, we would be stuck in time due to our high speed and be frozen... right?

Depends on the observer. If you're on the ship, you'll face some serious acceleration and fall into the singularity almost instantenously. If some guys at NASA are watching the approach, the ship will appear to slow down as the ship approaches the event horizon and appear to be frozen there due to time dialation from the gravitational field as well as her velocity; further, the photons will come to NASA further and further apart in time as the coordinate speed of lights slows, and so for all intents and purposes they would stop receiving light from the ship as the ship approaches the event horizon.

quote: Selection works on two levels, upon a species, and upon individuals. I don't see any selection pressure against Homo Sapiens Sapiens now (other than what we created ourselves, such as overpopulation and pollution), but there might still be some selection against dumber people.

There are certainly selective pressures in hunter-gatherer societies. If someone is exceptionally weak/dumb/wasteful/etc., he wouldn't have as many offspring. As for civilized societies, the main selective pressure would be resistance to disease.

	15-05-2003 09:22									#96
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quote: Originally posted by Ramo Depends on the observer. If you're on the ship, you'll face some serious acceleration and fall into the singularity instantenously.

I am always facinated by the possible existence of a naked singularity. That would be just mind boggling.

	15-05-2003 09:30									#97
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Yeah, but also incredibly unlikely.

	15-05-2003 09:58									#98
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"I meant if there's any criteria as for which equations are solvable algebraically and which are only numerically solvable ones.

x (sin x) = 26 is only solvable numerically for instance, but does it exist a set of rules to quickly determine which are and which are not? Or does the nature of each specific case have to be determined independently?"

There are no general criteria. Some families are known to be solvable algebraicaly while some others are known not to be.
Its hard to even describe in all generality what you mean by an equation in a way too.

	15-05-2003 12:26									#99
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quote: Originally posted by DAVOUT Just a few guesses for the tortoise (knowing that the 200 years is probably not the average life expectancy, and by far): - considering the enormous losses due to predators of the eggs and young tortoises, - and considering also the necessity that the descent result from many different mates (tortoises make eggs once a year ?) it could take that kind of duration to be sure to get a viable descent. The idea is identical for the trees, with a reproduction system more complex in that it demands the help of elements outside the trees such as winds or insects, and therefore still more time. Why do we have to break down ? Life is a replication system; any living form, once it has replicated enough to ensure the transmission of its genes, is designed to break down and die through degeneration. That process makes room and material for more life.

One reason that we break down is to secure our genes. The longer something lives the more likely that its genetic material is damaged by radiation etc. If everything could live indefinitely, there would be very little viable genetic material passed on as time elapsed.

	15-05-2003 12:27									#100
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quote: Originally posted by dejon Why is common sense so uncommon? For example, everyone finds it annoying to have to walk around people who are standing still (talking on their cellphone, chatting with someone they ran into) in a high density area. Yet almost everyone does this very thing at some point. If I meet someone I'd like to chat with in a public place, I suggest we "pull aside", so as not to become an obstruction. There are countless other situations like this, both minor and major in impact. I really think the phrase should be renamed "uncommon sense".

Basic training in the Army is a geat way to break this habit for good. Anyone who stops in a doorway or other chokepoint is immediately chewed out by the Drill Instructors.

	15-05-2003 12:28									#101
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quote: Originally posted by Urban Ranger You will experience time dilation, even though you cannot measure it, but that's not the cause. The cause is your "ruler" has shortened in the direction of your travel.

So my penis isn't actually short, it's just that I'm so damned fast. I like it!

	15-05-2003 12:28									#102
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quote: Originally posted by LulThyme ..... For example the general quintic is unsolvable by radicals.

Heh heh. Stupid Radicals!

	15-05-2003 12:35									#103
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quote: Originally posted by Urban Ranger You can throw organic stuff (probably not bones though) such as bits and pieces you peel off when preparing a meal down the sink, then turn on the grinder with water running so all that stuff you thrown down won't clog up the drainage.

Isn't it easier to just throw it in the trash can? Instead of having some sort of machinery that can stop working or turn you fingers to kebab if you're not careful (when trying to fix it). And of cource the hole in the sink shouldn't be so big that pieces can pass trough.

	15-05-2003 12:40									#104
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If you're cleaning dishes and have to scrub 'em with soap and water to get some of the food off, a grinder can be useful.

	15-05-2003 12:46									#105
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Krop,

It depends. If you have, say, spoilt oxtail soup, it'd be easier to just pick out the bones, then chuck the whole thing down the drain.

	15-05-2003 12:50									#106
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Urban:

quote: It's a lot more energy efficient to extract hydrogen from methane, which comes mainly from natural gas, but it could be produced by a number of renewable ways too. You get twice as much hydrogen, and the C-H bond is easier to break than the O-H bond.

Sort of nitpicking: While the O-H bond is somewhat stronger than the C-H bond (about 20 kj stronger), it is significantly easier to break the O-H bond. This is because bond strengths doesn't tell you anything about the intermediates - if you have an ionic process, for example, you get completely different kinetics. Just compare tha acidity of water and methane.

BTW, did I mention that coming up with better ways to break the C-H bond is what I do for a living?

	15-05-2003 12:51									#107
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Krop, I wondered about them for the first months in the US too, but I have learned to like them. See them as an interesting alternative to composting.

	15-05-2003 12:52									#108
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quote: Originally posted by Spiffor I am pro-nuclear myself,

If you're anti-nuclear in France you're pretty much ****ed.

	15-05-2003 12:57									#109
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quote: Originally posted by TheStinger I always wondered how sttar trek spaceships always met each other the correct way up

You're brilliant!


Methinks this thread has turned into people making cynical smartass-y observations instead of asking questions.




Here's my question:
Which girl from the TV show "Friends" is hotter? Monica (Courtney Cox Arquette) or Rachel (Jennifer Aniston)?


This is an absolutely essential question.

	15-05-2003 12:58									#110
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When the revolution comes, anyone watching "Friends" will be shot.

	15-05-2003 12:58									#111
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"Courtney Cox
I love you
You're so hot
On that show'

	15-05-2003 13:01									#112
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quote: Originally posted by CyberGnu "Courtney Cox I love you You're so hot On that show'

Yay, I agree with Cybergnu for the first time! Let us celebrate by saying the Shechechayanu. Come, join me.

Boruch atta adonai...

	15-05-2003 13:11									#113
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Definitely Miss Cox.

	15-05-2003 13:11									#114
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The Chechen what?

Oddly fitting with the theme, the little ditty above comes from the South Park rendition of "Dredle dredle dredle"

	15-05-2003 13:12									#115
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quote: Originally posted by Sikander Definitely Miss Cox.

That's what I think too, but it might just be because I like the "Monica" personality much better than the "Rachel" personality.

	15-05-2003 15:19									#116
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On the sink-grinder: More things that can break is bad things in my book. For me it seems pretty easy to pick up the crap and put it in the trash. But if it works for you then I guess it's fine.

	15-05-2003 15:45									#117
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quote: Originally posted by Oerdin quote: Originally posted by Sava I HAVE A QWESTION! Hypothetically, if two spaceships fly away from each other at greater than half the speed of light, will they still see each other? If the two ships were flying away (as in getting further away) from each other but not 180 degrees away from each other then yes they would see each other; other wise no they would not.

If two ships are travelling at say .7c from you, one 'north', and one 'south', they'd see each other just fine. They would each measure the other ship as receding at a velocity of about .94c

	15-05-2003 17:14									#118
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How do you figure?

	15-05-2003 17:17									#119
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Another question... I saw a thing on TLC where these guys magnetised a spider in this huge electromagnet. The spider floated in zero G and was unaffected by inertia when it moved. Is it possible to utilize this technology to allow humans to accelerate at rates greater than the normal G forces humans can tolerate?

	15-05-2003 17:49									#120
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quote: Originally posted by Sava How do you figure?

Its how relativity works.

In the classical Newtonian world the addition of velocities is just A + B. So if A travel 5 m/s North and B travels 5 m/s south their relative speed is 10 m/s. A no brainer.

However, in the relativistic world addition of velocities is A + B / (c + A * B/c²). So even as A and B approach the speed of light their perceived speed from the point of view of each other is always less than the speed of light.

Suppose you see Ship A travel north at any speed, be it almost still or close to the speed of light and you also see Ship B travel south at any speed, be it almost still or close to the speed of light

Light from Ship A will eventual pass you by at speed c, regardless of the ship's speed, and carry on in the direction of Ship B. As Ship B is travelling at less than c away from you the light will necessarily eventually catch up with Ship B at some point.

quote: I saw a thing on TLC where these guys magnetised a spider in this huge electromagnet. The spider floated in zero G and was unaffected by inertia when it moved. Is it possible to utilize this technology to allow humans to accelerate at rates greater than the normal G forces humans can tolerate?

The problem with G forces is the uneven application of force to all parts of the body at the same time, not the acceleration itself. For example when free falling we still feel the effects of gravity as we accelerate towards the ground, but there is no force ripping apart or squashing apart our bodies.

Diamagnetism (which is what sounds like was being used) can possibly have the effect of reducing the G force problem. However it would require the object being worked on not having much variation in its magnetic properties. I don't know much about the magnetic properties of various human body parts, but I think disparities would cause major problems. I also have no idea of what the long terms effects of placing someone in strong magnetic fields for exteneded periods would do.