THE FUTURE IS NOW

This thread is dedicated to all the wonderful things we think we will do and have in the future. Is the future what we envision now? It never quite works out as we think, but sometimes it is better!

http://www.aip.org/tip/INPHFA/vol-8/iss-2/p12.pdf

Solar Power via the Moon

"Prosperity for everyone on Earth by 2050 will require a sustainable source of electricity equivalent t0 3 to 5 times the commercial power currently produced."

Question: I've read quite a lot on fuel cells. Yet when you consider all the energy that gets generated as a car travels, is any work being done on how to capture/collect such energy? A car engine is no different than a generator. Wheels turn...static electricity collects. Must all ancillary energy (spinning wheels, drive shafts, fly wheels, etc...) simply move absent collection for recycling? Any suggested sites? G-man

IS THERE LIFE ON MARS?

The British "Beagle 2" lander may be the first one to find out.

See http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_2010000/2010548.stm

For a neutron image of Mars, showing subsurface water in blue: http://photojournal-b.jpl.nasa.gov/outdir/PIA03801.11490.jpeg

NON SEQUITUR, on a lighter side.

http://www.non-sequitur.com/index.php3?inday=28&inyear=2002&inmonth=5

How it all began... how will it end? When?

Hydrogen-Powered Car Goes Cross Country

By NEDRA PICKLER
.c The Associated Press

"WASHINGTON (June 4) - A hydrogen-powered car
completed a cross-country trip Tuesday, a
first-of-its kind journey that promoters say
proves the cleaner-burning fuel can be a viable
alternative to gasoline.

"Fuel cell vehicles won't be mass produced for at
least eight years under optimistic predictions,
but DaimlerChrysler says the trip by its NECAR 5
vehicle shows the promise of fuel cell
engines."...

The Future is Now! ??

IMAGES OF PLANETS OUTSIDE OUR SOLAR SYSTEM

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/newplanets/

Press release of new planets:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/releases/2002/release_2002_133.html
"Using as a yardstick the 93-million mile Earth-Sun distance, called an astronomical unit or AU, the newfound planet orbits at 5.5 AU, comparable to Jupiter's distance from our Sun of 5.2 AU (about 824 million kilometers or 512 million miles). Its slightly elongated orbit takes it around the star in about 13 years, comparable to Jupiter's orbital period of 11.86 years. It is 3.5 to 5 times the mass of Jupiter... The star 55 Cancri is 41 light years from Earth and is about 5-billion years old...."

NEW LIFE CREATED?

See BBC Sci/tech article at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_2122000/2122619.stm

Is this virus "alive"?

UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

From the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948-1998-- United Nations.

http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html

As presented to the Huntington Beach Interfaith Group.

The Universal Declaration's formula is: recognition...= foundation...; non-recognition...= law of jungle. It then attempts to state that recognition is an ought (as efficacious preference). Nowhere does it make any reference to a larger definitional vision that might depict, say...Unending Aspiration to the Values of Freedom, Justice, etc. Nor does it link the 'oughts' of Universal Humanism to ultimately generalizing optimal survival odds. Hence, in my view, it's basically an institutional mission statement, not a true 'Declaration,' as it were. Reminded me of a sign I read on a trolly once in the U.K., which said, "Elders and Expectant Mothers May Need Your Seat More Than You Do. Have Empathy.:) G-man

BBC News, the Moon:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2152095.stm

I think moons are the blown out pieces of planets resulting from direct hits. The Earth's moon was launched early in the planet's formation when a very large space object traveling at great velocity struck the planet point blank, so the force of the collision blew out on the other side (probably what is now the Pacific Ocean) enough mass to form the moon. If so, then evidence will show that the lunar material is Earth's rock of about 4 billion years ago, when this happened. Think of the force of a billiard ball striking another, how the force keeps the original motion going in the second ball. That second ball is the moon.

Space cadet, Ivan

BROWN CLOUD THAT ATE THE EARTH?

This is about the so called "Deadly Asian haze", BBC news:

BROWN ASIAN HAZE


Ps: I had been to the Himalyas trekking, 1980S, and the mountain vistas both from foot or airplane were spectacular. I cannot imagine them now turning brown, as reported.

Miniaturization, forever.

"Ashes turned into diamonds"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2209799.stm

What is a LifeGem?
http://www.lifegem.com/secondary/whatisLG.htm

It's a good idea!

- Le télescope Hubble capture une galaxie en
anneau
http://fr.news.yahoo.com/020906/202/2qng8.html

Pardon my French, but friend Isaac wanted to share
this with us. Rather cool picture of Hoag Galaxy,
though it does not fit the usual galactic form.
How do you figure this one? Doesn't look like a Black Hole!

Ivan

"France to unveil air-powered car"
(from BBC News)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2281011.stm

Cross-posted from Superstring Forums, titled: "Is there a "Wormhole" at v = c?"
http://www.superstringtheory.com/forum/relboard/messages18/45.html

If we have a new theory of deep space gravity into which we can tap, so that our spacecraft have continuous acceleration at speeds in orders of magnitude of what can be achieved today, then it may be possible.

Ivan
--------------------------------------------------------
Posted by Coppernicus on May 23, 2003 at 13:11:50:

Is there a "Wormhole" at v = c?

In reading the paper (linked below)on Wormholes, I had a mental flash, which I thought to run it by y'all, which is a kind of mental experiment.
Imagine that we can reach light speed with our new super spacecrafts, and that when v = c, we are now pure energy in the present plane of spacetime, but exist as a v = 0 mass in an adjacent plane of spacetime. What does this mean? [1] We are traveling at a rest position in the new plane but moving away from ours at light speed. [2] We can repeat the process in the new dimension of spacetime so that we are once again at v = c, where we are at rest in another adjacent dimension of spacetime. [3] If the universe is structured such that these dimensions are not toxic to us, all of which are at v = c in relation to each other, it would mean theoretically that we can reach v = multiple-light-speed in relation to our original spacetime, the one we live in. If so, then it would not take too many "jumps" to adjacent dimensions to be traveling at immense relative velocities to our original universe.
The next question is: How do we get back? If "direction" has any meaning in this jumping from spacetime to space time, then perhaps reversing directions would bring us back to our original universe. But there would be a difference, for while we were away in the other dimensions, each of which is traveling away from ours at v = c, then when we return we are now at some point in space and time that is different from the one we left originally. Remember the dimensions are all traveling away from our, in every direction, at light speed, so that if we can effect these jumps quickly, we can hitchhike these other dimensions to place us exactly where we want to be in the original spacetime, where we come from. If so, then a trip to a nearby star, or galaxy, could be possible in a fraction of the time it would take to simply plod along at light speed in our own dimension. And if that were possible, I then strongly suspect that the spacetime mathematics we have been developing would come in very handy to calculate how to reach our desired objective in our universe, so that when we re-enter our dimension, we land exactly where we need to be. Of course, we will need collision sensors aboard, so we don't miss and land inside a planet, or star.

Has anyone else had these flights of fancy, or is it something too weird to contemplate?

C.
RE Metric Engineering

Posted by Coppernicus on June 01, 2003 at 19:15:29:
http://www.superstringtheory.com/forum/relboard/messages18/90.html

In Reply to: *** M Thanks for Metric Engineering Link *** posted by kx21 on May 23, 2003 at 22:28:59:

kx21,

Thanks for pointing out space vacuum as filled with zero points of energy density, as per the quote posted above. This makes intuitive sense to me. I sense that the vacuum is in fact very energy rich, but this is not obvious to us because all this energy density potential is already taken up: we call them atoms. So if we can recreated the vacuum energy density, and keep out the atoms we don't want, then we can let into this zero point density the atoms we do want: the atomic structure of our space ship, and the atoms that are us in it. As the atoms of our spacecraft accelerate to fill in this vacuum energy density, we accelerate progressively at greater velocities, until we hit the light speed wall. But as per my earlier post, at v = c, we may have the ability to recreate the whole process again, except now we are traveling in a dimension that itself is traveling away from our starting point at light speed. And if this is so, then we can utilize this still "unknown" method of propulsion to achieve velocities currently unimaginable.

Of course, it may be known by somebody, but they have had the good sense to stay away from us until we are mature enough to handle it, i.e., we stop killing each other. Then, perhaps, as per the Metric Engineering page referenced, we will be able to travel in space in the proper style to which we can very quickly become accustomed. (I like to travel POSH from the west coast: port out and starboard home.)

The next questions, of necessity: Why do zero point energy densities exist in the first place? Why are they the atoms we have in this dimension? Why are there not more nor less atoms than currently exist? In effect, is there a cross dimensional dimension that determines why atoms are where they are? Just thinking out loud here, but worthy of thought.

C.

INFINITE VELOCITIES?

I would add (to the above Xpost) that zero-point energy density of space can also be expressed as c^2, a kind of super-casimir effect. If so, then to reach the v = c speed in space would not be so difficult if the space energy potential is employed, which would give us constant acceleration to that point. Therefore, at v = c, which is also v = (c^2)^1/2, the square root of space density, the atoms accelerated to this velocity would now be in effect stationary in the next dimension. Then, the process would begin again, until multiple dimensions had been spanned, so that v = c^n, where n is the number of dimensions spanned. In theory, if the throtle is jammed forward without changing directions, there is no reason why we could not travel through space at near infinite velocities. And if so, would we then reach some point of "no return"?

Ivan

BBC News: Flooded future looms for Bangladesh

The Ganges may need to be flood controlled. The damming of this sacred river may not be acceptable for religious reason to many Hindus, however, so this may be a politically and theologically unacceptable solution, but there may not be any choice in the future if coastal and Himalayan flooding intensifies. Perhaps a better version of a Kyoto Agreement might stem the tides?

Kyoto Protocol

Meteor Earth Impact Calculator
http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/impacteffects/

Imagine the improbable, that a large meteor strikes near where you live! ... have fun, I guess?...

BBC News: Study highlights global decline.

Food for thought?... or we may not have enough food. The study is comprehensive, with additional referrences to climate change and global warming. Perhaps a change in human diet? ... more veggie fiber and less meat may be a solution, along with re-forestation. If our oceans and forests die, we do too.

The other side of Global Warming:

Siberia's rapid thaw causes alarm.

A land area in western Siberia, the size of France and Germany, is in danger of thawing, which will release a vast amount of methane gas into the atmosphere, accelerating global warming in unpredictable ways. Whether man made or natural, the consequences may be grim, with worldwide consequences to climate and ocean levels.

See Hybrid cars and SUVs Testimonials.

Mine's on the Ford Escape Hybrid, see Sept. 27, 2005.

The future is now! And it's Green. J